And Hell Followed With Him
by Methos2523
Summary: When The Watchers Council falls under attack by True Undead, a recall order brings Giles, Buffy and Faith to England to find out what happened, and with help from the Hellsing Organisation, they might be able to put to rest the Vampires that slaughtered the Council.
1. Chapter 1

TITLE: And Hell Followed With Him

DISCLAIMER: All things BtVS belong Joss Whedon, the Hellsing universe belongs to Kouta Hirano, nothing is mine, only the extremely twisted idea...

AN: For this fic I will be blending both the anime of Hellsing, along with the Manga / OVA storyline… the anime left plenty of holes large enough to drive a truck through that I can fit them both together with the minimum of fuss lol

* * *

 **July 14, 1999**

 **London, England**

 **04:47**

"Xander!"

He heard the scream and turned around, bringing his gun up to aim and protect her as he did, only realising half a second in that it wasn't a scream for help, but was a scream of warning. The first hand grabbed his gun before he'd even had chance to bring it up to defend himself, lurching his arm outwards as it was pulled from his grasp but the strap around his shoulder pulled him forwards as well, right into the hand of the attacking vampire.

Staring between the gaps in the fingers it seemed like an age as he looked death in the eyes, the glowing red eyes reflecting the destruction around them, the destroyed buildings, the fires that burnt from the Tower of London to the heavens lit up the night sky with its warmth. He heard the scream again but it was useless, his gun was held firm in a grasp far stronger and more vicious than he could ever be. The scream came a third time as the grip on his head tightened, bringing him in close as the blonde vampire opened its mouth, the pointed teeth around his jaw glittering in the night and already dripping with blood from his previous victims.

"Xander!" A third scream came out, this time from the side, Buffy. He couldn't even turn his head to see, but the fear in her voice told him she was facing the same FREAK problem as he was.

"Let go of him you bastard!"

He watched as the blonde vampire turned, his pale skin almost glowing in the moonlight from the fires around them, he actually even gave a half smile as he saw his new opponent coming towards him and interfering with his meal, the vampire Seras Victoria, servant of Alucard, already bloody and messed from the evenings battle.

"You're a servant, like me." He whispered, the hand around Xander's head growing tighter as he lifted him nearly a foot off of the ground, his fingers pushing in and gripping around his forehead and temples like a vice. "Why do you fight who you are?"

"She's nothing like you!" Xander ground out, fighting back the urge to scream as the fingers tightened around his head.

"I am true undead." Seras whispered back. "Alucard gave his blood to me!" She shouted. "Now, let him go!" She screamed the last with finality, bringing her absurdly large canon of a gun around to bare against him.

"Until you drink blood of your own free will, you're just a servant of your master!" The blonde vampire spat back. "Not even much better than a ghoul!" He said the last mockingly, almost laughing before tightening his fingers even more around Xander's head, squeezing like a grape ready to pop.

"Xander!" Seras screamed, watching as the FREAK vampire launched himself into the air, carrying Xander by the head with him as he practically flew up, his clawed hand gripping Xander's head tightly and digging in, blood pooling from his eyes before gripping his head like a bowling ball and throwing his screaming body back to the ground and vanishing into the night again.

Xander's screams were heard all around as he hit the floor, the blood pouring from his eyes pooled around on the grass as he impacted the dirt like a missile, his bones crunched like powder as he bounced off the frozen night soil and was mercifully caught by Seras who had moved far faster than he'd ever thought possible.

"Xander!" Seras whispered out, cradling him on her knee as she slowly crouched down on the ground, laying him there gently as she brushed the blood soaked hair from his face. "Oh god, what did he do?" He asked, seeing the damage for the first time and looking down in horror at the claw marks that gouged up his face where the FREAK had torn his eyes out.

Coughing up blood Xander simply lay there in her arms, writhing as shock set in and the cold seeped into his body, his fatigues now drenched with blood, his gun long forgotten, while the whip that had been masterfully crafted by Walter was still attached to his hip.

"Xander… you… you can't die…" Seras whispered, blood welling up in her eyes and dripping down her cheeks. "You… you're the only friend I've got here."

"S… sorry," Xander coughed out, sickly red blood drooling from the side of his mouth as he spoke. "Forgot these… these FREAKS are… are different." He coughed again, splattering Seras' blue uniform with blood from his lungs.

"They're not," Seras said softly. "They're nothing, worse than nothing." She whispered. "You can't die at the hands of nothing."

"Is…" Xander stopped, coughing loudly as he reached up with a bloody hand and grasped around, trying to feel for Seras until she reached up and held his hand, bringing it to her face. "Was he lying? About… about the blood?" Xander asked, forcing himself to stay awake as more blood dripped from his mouth.

"I…" Seras paused, looking down at Xander's broken body, unwilling to lie to a dying man. "Yes." She whispered. "I'm not even a true vampire until I do." She said softly, as if confessing an ashamed secret to a beloved confidant.

"Then…" Xander groaned, coughing loudly as he felt down to her neck and gripped tightly, using her immovable strength to leaver himself up against her. "Do it." He bit out, leaning his head to one side and baring his neck to her.

"Xander!" Seras balked, the blood in her eyes now streaming down her face where tears should have been. "I… I can't…"

"Do it!" Xander bit out, forcing back another blood splattering cough as he pulled on her neck and brought himself up, resting his head on her shoulders as the strength seemed to leave his body. "Save them, save Buffy…" He whispered. "Save them all."

"I won't let you die." Seras whispered out, looking down at the offered neck and considering her options. "Not like this!" She shouted before arching her head back, her fangs glittering in the moonlight before she brought her mouth back and clamped down on Xander's throat, her supernatural teeth piercing his skin with ease as the warm blood, freely offered and taken, flooded into her body.

She felt his blood, his memories, his very soul pouring into her, everything he was, everything that made him human, was hers for the taking. She watched in her mind's eye as his memories flowed into hers and his pulse started to slow before breaking the lock she had on his neck.

"Nooo!" She screamed out, the blood from Xander's body mixing with the blood that was still in her mouth from the fighting before. She looked down, laying Xander peacefully on the ground beside her, feeling his weak pulse in his neck as she reached down and tenderly wiped the blood away from his mouth.

Her blue uniform was now stained with blood, a mixture of her own from the nights fighting and Xander's, turning the uniform from the pale blue it was to a sodden blood red. She could feel the difference already, the strength, the change in her that Xander's blood had caused. Not just his blood, but the act, the act of freely offering himself, and her act of willingly drinking his blood for the first time since Alucard had transformed her into a vampire all those nights ago.

"I won't forget you Xander." She whispered, looking down at him and bowing her head. Biting her tongue gently and feeling the blood flow into her mouth before leaning down and kissing him, letting the blood flow into his mouth as she remembered Alucard telling her about how he kissed his beloved all those centuries ago.

She felt his tongue twitch as the blood from her mouth dripped into his, then she closed her eyes and concentrated, feeling the flood of Xander's memories warring inside her against her own. "Why, why did you come here?" She asked, leaning back from the kiss and watching as the blood simply pooled around Xander's lips before sinking in and vanishing in his throat.

"Why did you follow her?" She asked aloud, sitting back on the frozen grass as her mind got lost in the stolen memories.

* * *

 **December 12, 1998**

 **08:14**

 **Private Air Strip – London**

Being yanked out of a luggage compartment by the collar was definitely not on Xander's hundred best ways to wake up, he feebly grabbed at the hands holding his shirt until his eyes managed to focus on the person holding him. "Giles?" He asked, confused why Giles was grabbing him until it came back to him. "Oh, I can explain…"

"You stupid boy!" Giles bit out, letting go of Xander's collar and letting him slump against the side of the plane. "Of all the reckless things, hiding in the luggage compartment of a private jet?" He shook his head, taking off his glasses as he turned away from Xander in annoyance. "Is Willow in there with you as well?" He asked hopefully.

"No," Xander shook his head. "She tried to talk me out of it."

"There's that at least," Giles frowned as he turned back to Xander. "I don't know what's going on here, but a level one recall would…" Giles trailed off as the sound of a car approaching drew his attention. "Just try and stay out of the way." He bit out before walking towards where the large black car was slowly approaching the jet.

"Sneaking in a jet, pretty ballsy X," Faith whispered with a grin as she came over once Giles had left.

"You could have been killed!" Buffy snapped, slapping him on the chest hard enough to make him stumble a bit.

"I had to come," Xander defended himself. "Giles was all freaked out, this recall thing or whatever. You saw him. Freaked enough to convince your mom that you'd got an offer at a college in England or wherever…" He trailed off, looking around. "England?"

"London," Faith nodded. "Some private landing whatever." She shrugged as Buffy looked at her. "I was listening to the pilots alright?" She snorted as Buffy rolled her eyes.

"Who's that?" Buffy asked, nodding over to where Giles was talking with two people that had got out of the car. One looked to be a stereotypical butler type, a neatly pressed shirt, waistcoat, white gloves and even a monocle in his eye framed his older face nicely, she'd put him a bit older than Giles, but not by much. In comparison, the woman Giles was mostly talking with looked only a few years older than she was, dressed in a smart suit with long blonde hair and round glasses perched on her nose.

"Watchers?" Xander guessed with a shrug.

"He looks the type," Faith nodded. "But she don't look like any Watcher I've ever seen."

"Since when do Watchers carry guns?" Buffy asked, noting the shoulder holster and second gun on her hip as her coat blew back in the wind.

"Wooden bullets?" Xander guessed hopefully, causing both Buffy and Faith to look at him like he was insane. "What? It could work." He grinned back as Giles started to walk over to them, the young woman walking alongside while the older man walked behind them respectfully.

"Buffy, Faith, this is Sir Integra Hellsing." Giles said as he approached them, his eyes fixing them both with a gentle warning.

"Slayers," Sir Integra nodded. "Interesting." She said thoughtfully. "You're lucky you weren't at The Council headquarters yourselves."

"Huh?" Buffy asked, confused what the young woman meant. "What happened to the council?"

"They… they were attacked four nights ago." Giles explained in a low voice. "Quentin must have managed to order a full recall before they got inside the main chambers."

"Probably hiding under a table while he did it." Sir Integra said disdainfully, ignoring the look Giles sent her. "If I'd known you were coming before the authorities tagged your plane entering British air space, I would have told you to stay away."

"I still would have come." Giles said firmly. "The Hellsing organisation doesn't sit above The Council Sir Integra."

"No," Sir Integra had to accept that fact, she sat at The Round Table as equals with Quentin Travers and other organisations around Great Britain, no one man, or woman, at the head and all as equals protecting Queen and Country. "But we know more about what we're facing than you do."

"Vampires?" Giles asked with a frown.

"Two of them," Sir Integra nodded, sliding out a silver case from her inside jacket pocket and opening it before picking out a small cigar. "Commanding an army of nearly two hundred ghouls from what I've been told." She waited for a moment as the older man moved around Giles before lighting her cigar silently and stepping back to where he'd been stood without saying a word. "Your Council didn't stand a chance." She said before blowing out a cloud of smoke in the cold morning air.

"Vampires? Ghouls?" Buffy asked. "Huh?" She turned, looking at Giles for confirmation.

"You've never faced anything like these before Slayer," Sir Integra said before Giles could explain. "True Undead, not those low born demon infested corpses you've been trained to fight."

"There are… several types of vampirism Buffy," Giles explained, choosing his words carefully. "The Watchers Council has been dedicated for millennia to fighting the demonic breed, the oldest form of vampire."

"The weakest you mean," Sir Integra smirked, blowing out another cloud of smoke. "A low born demon setting up in a corpse, a True Fledgling could slaughter through an army of Demon Breed without breaking a sweat." She said proudly.

"True Vampires?" Faith asked in a bit of shock. "You mean we got stuck with the budget vamps?" She asked, looking at Giles in amusement.

"Not exactly 'budget' Faith," Giles shook his head, taking off his glasses and cleaning them on his shirt. "Demonic vampires spread far quicker than any True Undead, and their penchant for destruction and demonic allies makes them far more dangerous in The Council's eyes than the minority of True Undead that walk this Earth."

"So these true vamps, they're badass then?" Xander asked, trying to figure out exactly what had happened and why Giles had flown Buffy and Faith thousands of miles after receiving a single fax.

"And you are?" Sir Integra asked, looking up at him through her glasses as if noticing him for the first time.

"He's… ahem, a retainer." Giles explained quickly before Xander had a chance to answer. "Brings the Slayers food, weapons, helps with research, that sort of thing." He said quickly, fixing Xander with a glare that said simply 'be quiet'.

"Yeah," Xander nodded. "That's me, doughnut boy."

Sir Integra snorted at this with a nod. "Very well." She said, turning back to Giles for the moment and ignoring the three youths. "I have my best men clearing your headquarters, but reports are coming through that no one survived."

"The Council wasn't equipped to deal with an attack from True Undead." Giles said softly, shaking his head. "Thank you though for the assistance."

"Many of your Council were turned into ghouls during the attack." Sir Integra nodded, accepting the thanks for what they were. "Our men put them to rest and salted the Earth. Your headquarters was systematically destroyed."

"No one survived?" Buffy asked, noting how Giles had gone slightly pale at these revelations. "Not anyone?"

"All dead." Sir Integra said coldly. "Dead or turned into ghouls which my forces then eliminated." She frowned, dropping her cigar on the ground and grinding it under her boot. "You have nowhere to go Watcher." She said simply, looking up at Giles.

"Rupert, please." Giles said softly. "I would… I need to see for myself."

"Hmm," Sir Integra smiled and looked closer at Giles, as if inspecting him. "I half expected you to get back on your plane and go running back to the colonies." She said with a snort. "Travers nearly pissed himself at the last Round Table Conference when he demanded to meet the Hellsing family's Legacy."

"Yes, well," Giles frowned, looking back into Sir Integra's cold blue eyes. "I'm not Quentin Travers." He said firmly.

"No, you're not." Sir Integra smiled. "Walter, we'll be heading to The Council Headquarters."

"Yes Sir Integra," The older man behind her nodded sharply. "Shall I have a team meet us there?"

"No need," Sir Integra shook her head. "The building has been sanitised already." She said before turning and walking back to the car. "Shall we?" She asked, not even bothering to turn back to check if Giles was following.

"Very well," Giles nodded, gesturing for Buffy, Faith and Xander to follow them.

"Your retainer can ride in the front with Walter," Sir Integra said with a smirk as she got to the car and Walter opened the door for her to get in, then closed it before moving around the other side of the car to let Giles and the two girls inside. "He can show the American how a real retainer works." She said with a half-smile as the door closed.

"Ohhkay," Xander nodded, moving to the front of the car to wait for the older man that Sir Integra had called Walter.

"Excuse me," Walter said, moving to the door that Xander was stood by. "Unless you want to drive, you'll need to get in at the other side."

"Right, sorry." Xander said quickly, moving away from the door Walter had his hand on and jogging around the car before getting in the passenger side.

"Do buckle up," Walter said with a small smile as he watched Xander get in the car and look around at the expensive dashboard of the custom Rolls Royce that he drove for Sir Integra.

"Oh, yeah." Xander nodded, feeling weird already sitting where the driver should be in the car before his eyes went wide at the sound of the large engine starting as Walter turned the ignition and started to drive. "Wow." He whispered as Walter drove them out of the private air strip at Finchley and out onto the main roads.

* * *

The drive had been nearly an hour in silence, and while Xander had been happily looking out of the windows at the city around them, the silence of the ride, reinforced by the soundproofing between the driver and the back seats where Buffy and Faith was, made it feel ten times longer than it should have been as he had no idea what Buffy and Faith were being told in the back of the car.

"Here we are." Walter said with a small smile, turning off a quiet road and pulling the car to a stop outside two heavy gates where a 'Private Land, Keep Out' sign was plainly visible on the tall walls at either side of the gate. "If you'd be so kind." Walter said with a smile, getting out of the car while leaving the engine running before waiting for Xander to do the same.

"Oh, yeah." Xander nodded, getting out of the car and following Walter to where he pushed open one of the heavy iron gates that stood about twice his own height.

"Make sure to put the bar down," Walter explained as he pushed his own gate open, pointing to the bottom bar that had locked the gate in place through a hole in the ground. "We wouldn't want the gates to swing back on the car now would we."

"Uh, no, that'd be bad." Xander said, making sure to follow Walter's instructions and jam the locking bolt down into the hole that had been made for it.

"Close the gates behind us, then meet us at the main entrance." Walter said simply before moving back to the car.

"Yeah, fine, whatever." Xander shrugged, watching as Walter drove the car slowly through the large gates then up the gravel path towards the large three story mansion type building that was at the end of the gravel.

Watching the car with Buffy and Faith drive away he moved around and closed the gates, jamming the locking bolts back in place like Walter had told him. It was just the same here as it was back in Sunnydale, he was being forced out of conversations and fighting, just like Buffy and Giles tried to do before. Only this time they were treating him like a servant instead, not even a friend now.

He simply grumbled to himself as he tried to think of a way to become more relevant again as he walked slowly up the gravel path, kicking some gravel around under his boots as he walked, he was barely half way up the path when something in the bushes caught his eye, a glimmer of metal in the morning sun against the green plants that were neatly cut away from the drive way.

Pushing his way through the bushes to investigate he bit back on a scream as he tripped over something in the grass, landing on the ground and coming face to face with a corpse of what looked like some sort of army guy, still holding his gun in one hand, but his other arm had literally been torn away from the look of the ripped clothing and his throat had been ripped open, but oddly more than the sight of the dried blood and dead body, the sight of the two bullet holes that were planted firmly in the centre of his forehead shocked him most.

Grabbing the gun he pulled it away from the man, some sort of automatic rifle that his fading Halloween memories couldn't even recognise, it took a moment to get it out of the corpse's hand that seemed to have a death grip around the stock, but he finally managed it and fell backwards again away from the corpse.

It was as the corpse fell back to the ground that he noted the patch on the side of the uniform he'd been wearing, a simple red and black shield with a yellow banner across the top that stated 'Hellsing' clearly, moving closer to read the rest of it he read the words aloud off the top left corner of the shield. "We are on a mission from God?" He asked aloud before standing up and carrying the gun at his side.

"Lieutenant Johns,"

Xander span around as the voice broke him out of his curiosity, seeing Walter stood back on the gravel drive and looking over the bushes at him. "I… I saw… from the…" Xander stammered out. "He's been shot." He finished lamely.

"Yes," Walter nodded. "Attacked by ghouls first, turned, and then put to rest by other members of the Hellsing Organisation." Walter said simply.

"You… you can kill them with guns? Not stakes or crossbows?" Xander asked after a moments pause.

Walter chuckled at this, moving through the bushes silently and retrieving the gun from Xander who handed it over without argument. Pulling out the clip he thumbed off one round before handing it back to Xander. "Blessed silver." He explained. "Explosive tipped round, more than enough to put down one ghoul."

"I've… we haven't seen ghouls in Sunnydale." Xander explained. "Buffy normally just stakes the vampires or… you know, demon, research, Buffy slays demon, the end."

"Quite," Walter rolled his eyes at this. "A ghoul is created when a True Vampire bites a member of the same gender, or attempts to turn a deflowered person." He explained. "Relatively dangerous in groups, strong definitely, but hardly indestructible." He explained, loading the clip back into the assault rifle and chambering a round expertly before handing the rifle back to Xander. "Aim for the head or the heart, anything else will simply irritate them." He explained.

"Same as a vamp then." Xander nodded, accepting the rifle back and pocketing the single bullet that Walter had given him to examine.

"As a demonic vampire, yes." Walter nodded. "Cutting off the head will also work, though they are more akin to zombie creatures from myth than the demonic vampires that you're used to facing. Once the master vampire has been eliminated, the ghouls he created die with him."

"Good to know," Xander nodded, filing that bit of information away to tell Buffy later on. "Uh, deflowered?" He asked hesitantly as Walter moved to walk back through the bushes towards the drive way.

"Non virginal," Walter explained as he waited on the gravel drive for Xander to make his way through the bushes. "A human that has had sex." He clarified further for the American. "If a true vampire feeds on a member of the opposite sex and then offers them it's blood, it creates a new vampire, a fledgeling." He explained as he led the way up the gravel path towards the Watcher Mansion. "Otherwise, a ghoul is created to do the vampire's bidding."

"Gotcha," Xander nodded. "Ok, kinda getting why these true vamps don't spread as easily as the demon type ones."

"Indeed." Walter said dryly with a small nod. "Compared to True Undead, the demonic breed are simply an infection that needs to be eradicated."

"But bullets don't work on the demons, right?" Xander asked curiously.

"Hmm?" Walter raised an eyebrow. "No, not to eliminate them." He shook his head. "But there are other ways, as I'm sure you know." He said dryly as they approached the car where Sir Integra and Giles were waiting with Buffy and Faith.

"Walter?" Sir Integra asked curiously.

"Lieutenant Johns," Walter said by way of explanation. "He must have been turned during the battle."

"I see," Sir Integra said darkly.

"He was put to rest by our men," Walter explained. "Alexander simply saw the body from the drive and felt that investigating a possible threat was in order."

"Very well," Sir Integra nodded at this, looking at Xander and the way he was carrying Lieutenant Johns' rifle in a manner that told her he'd used a rifle before but was out of practice with them. "Have the body seen to."

"As you command," Walter nodded as Sir Integra turned back to Giles.

"Shall we?" Sir Integra asked, gesturing for Giles to take the lead up the stairs to the main doors where thick yellow tape had been marked in a cross over them and down the centre of the two large doors.

Giles simply nodded at this, moving up the stone steps quietly and towards the doors, pulling the yellow tape off the doors and throwing it aside before pulling one of the doors open, tearing the yellow tape down the middle as he did.

The smell was the first thing that assaulted them as the doors opened, hot air full of decomposing bodies and dried blood rushed out of the door, bringing flies with it as Giles opened both the doors fully, fighting back the urge to hold his nose as he stepped inside.

"Oh god!" Buffy whispered as she stepped back from the smell, her hand immediately flying to cover her nose and mouth.

"What the hell?" Faith asked, covering her own nose with her t-shirt and holding it in place as she slowly followed Giles inside the mansion.

The entrance lobby used to be white marble, but was now stained with dried blood with splatter leading up the wood panelled walls all around them, bullet holes had chipped away at the floor and walls, and there were several drag marks through the blood where bodies had obviously been moved after the battle.

"It was a slaughter." Sir Integra said simply, the smell not seeming to bother her at all as she walked in to the lobby. "The Council security simply weren't equipped to deal with an army of ghouls like this."

"No, they weren't." Giles admitted, knowing full well that The Council's arrogance would never let them believe that a vampire, even a true vampire, could raise an army against them. In the end he supposed, that had been their undoing. With that said he moved slowly through the lobby area to the main stairs, walking up them and resisting the urge to grimace as the red carped squelched with soaked blood under foot.

"You killed the vampires that did this, right?" Xander asked Walter quietly as they followed at the back behind where Buffy and Faith were following Giles and Sir Integra up the stairs.

"No," Walter answered softly. "By the time we received reports of the attack, the vampires leading the ghouls had already gone." He explained. "Leaving a small force of ghouls for our men to take care of."

"We've got to find them." Xander whispered through clenched teeth as they reached the top of the stairs where more blood was splattered on the floor, walls and even up to the ceiling. "Whoever did this, we've…"

"I… I can't do this!" Buffy gasped out, pulling her hand away from her mouth and running back down the stairs, her face showing the horror and disgust that they were all feeling as they looked around at the remnants of the slaughter.

"I'll stay with Miss Buffy," Walter said as Sir Integra looked back at him. "Go on ahead."

"Very well," Sir Integra nodded as Giles moved to say something but simply nodded as well before continuing on.

"This is pretty fucked up." Faith whispered as Xander moved to walk alongside her behind Giles and Sir Integra. "Even…" She paused, taking a breath before saying his name. "Kakistos wasn't like this."

"Getting the feeling these true vamps are a whole other ball game here." Xander said softly. "They bite you, you turn into one of these zombie things that follows them around." He explained. "Walter filled me in." He said as Faith looked at him in shock. "And get this, they can't turn you into another vampire unless you're a virgin."

"Getting the feeling we should back out and let these guys take down whatever did this." Faith admitted as Giles stopped by two large doors.

"Indeed." Sir Integra nodded as she turned to Faith. "The Hellsing organisation has been dealing with these vampires for generations, we will find the abomination that did this and send it screaming to the pits of hell."

"I'll get behind that." Faith nodded, a bit shocked at the intensity she could see in Sir Integra's eyes as she spoke.

Before anyone could say anything else Giles opened the two doors in front of them, pushing them wide open at the same time and walking through into the room. It was huge, the room stretched on down into the distance with large windows at the side, where several had been shattered from gunfire and splattered with blood. A long table in the middle of the room was equally decorated in dark red blood, with chairs and papers strewn around in chaos.

"The Council Chambers," Giles said softly. "They must have been in session when the… they attacked." He explained, taking off his glasses as he looked around the room in horror. He was about to move further into the room when a muffled sound came from back outside the room, causing Faith and Sir Integra to spin around and face the open door.

"I thought you said your men had cleared the building?" Giles asked as Sir Integra pulled out one of her pistols and chambered a round, watching he saw Xander bring up the automatic rifle he was carrying and aim it at the doors as well.

"They did." Sir Integra said firmly.

"Someone survived?" Faith asked hopefully.

"Against an army of ghouls?" Sir Integra snorted. "Unlikely." She said, stepping forward out of the Council Chambers and back into the corridor, leading the way towards where she heard the sound was coming from slowly, moving her gun around and sweeping every door as they passed it.

Further up ahead at the end of the corridor was a single black door with no handle, as they approached it the muffled sound of walking and something that sounded almost like crying could be heard coming through the door.

"What is this room?" Sir Integra asked, staring at the seamless black door with no obvious way to open it.

"The Black Archive," Giles said quietly as Sir Integra stared at him. "The Council's most dangerous texts and research is locked away inside, only Council members, senior watchers and their aides have access."

"Open it." Sir Integra ordered, stepping back from the black door and training her gun on it ready for Giles to open.

For a moment Giles looked ready to argue, but instead just stepped forwards quietly, placing his hand on the centre of the door at head height. For a moment nothing happened, then a blue glyph under his hand glowed brightly before a heavy latch could be heard and the door swung open.

"Useful," Sir Integra noted, wondering what sort of magic had actually been used to seal the room, though those questions were pushed aside as she trained her gun in the room and stepped in quietly. "In the name of God, impure souls of the living dead shall be banished into eternal damnation." She whispered, readying herself for attack as she looked around. "Amen."

"Amen," Xander whispered from behind her, following her with his own rifle held ready for action before bringing it around when he saw motion out of the corner of his eye.

"Thank god!"

Both Sir Integra and Xander brought their guns around at the sound, readying to fire. It was only the quick motions of the person in the corner of the room, throwing up his hands and dropping glass on the floor that shattered on impact that saved him from being riddled with blessed silver bullets.

"Who are you?" Sir Integra demanded, staring down her gun at the man, he was wearing a soft pink shirt and striped tie loosely around his neck, along with braces holding up his trousers. While his head was messy and he looked like he hadn't shaved in days, he was remarkably clean of blood, someone missing the entire battle.

"Wesley," The man said quickly, staring at both the smaller pistol Sir Integra was holding, and the large automatic rifle Xander had pointed at him as well. "Wyndam-Pryce, I'm…"

"Mr Giles, do you know this man?" Sir Integra asked, cutting him off but not looking away from him as she waited for Giles' confirmation.

"The Wyndam-Pryce's have been on the council for years," Giles confirmed. "Roger Wyndam-Pryce was Quentin's right hand man if I recall."

"My father," Wesley said simply. "Giles, Rupert Giles?" He asked, looking over at where Giles was standing with a young girl. "Then you must be The Slayer, I've heard…"

"How did you survive Mr Wyndam-Price?" Sir Integra cut him off with her question, keeping her gun trained on him. "When the entire council was slaughtered, you survived. How?"

"I… I was… I don't…" Wesley stammered out, looking back at the cold woman pointing a gun at him. "I was doing some research for The Council, you understand, when the internal alarm activated and sealed me…"

"Alarm?" Sir Integra asked, looking at Giles again for confirmation.

"Yes," Giles nodded. "If the Council is under attack itself, there is an alarm that locks away all archived materials and seals the locks for forty-eight hours, or until the alarm has been deactivated." He explained.

"Has it been that long?" Wesley asked in shock.

"Closer to four days if you were in here during the attack." Sir Integra said simply. "You were locked in here while your entire organisation was systematically slaughtered and turned into ghouls." She explained, smirking a bit when he turned several shades paler than he already was. "You and Mr Giles are the sole survivors of The Watchers Council."

"That… that can't…" Wesley stammered out, staring at Giles in shock as he simply nodded, confirming what Sir Integra was saying.

"Lucky you got locked in here," Xander shrugged, lowering his rifle. "Or you'd be dead like everyone else right?" He asked, looking back at Giles.

"Most likely." Giles nodded back.

"You didn't see anything?" Sir Integra asked. "Who did this? Who was leading the ghouls?"

"No… no, not a thing." Wesley explained as Sir Integra slowly lowered her gun.

"Shame," Sir Integra frowned, looking away from him and back to Giles. "We still have no leads on who led the assault."

"Someone who wanted The Council out of the way," Giles said thoughtfully. "Though I'm not aware of any True Undead that would focus their attention on The Council rather than yourselves." He explained. "What were you researching in here?" He asked, walking past Sir Integra towards Wesley.

"A demon," Wesley explained. "We'd received several reports of massacres in Africa, temples being desecrated, someone, or something was looking for artefacts."

"What artefacts?" Giles asked with a frown, looking around The Black Archive at all the knowledge that had been stored away here for thousands of years.

"I'm… I'm not sure," Wesley said softly. "The Council only gave me a name, and told me to prepare a report for them."

"A report on what?" Sir Integra asked with a frown.

"The demon Sett." Wesley said simply, moving to a desk behind him and shuffling together a few piles of paper and placing them in a folder than he closed shut and picked up.

"Sett wasn't just a demon," Giles frowned, cleaning his glasses thoroughly on his shirt. "He was a lower infernal god of the Egyptian pantheon."

"Correct," Wesley nodded. "His corporeal body was destroyed by the Slayer Ah'ri in five twelve during her battles in the Congo. I have her Watchers diaries that talk about the battle in some detail. The demon Sett was destroyed by Ah'ri, though his essence fled his body in a flash of white light and was banished from this dimension."

"But why would The Council want a report on a demon destroyed over fifteen centuries ago?" Sir Integra mused, looking at Wesley and then to Giles.

"We might never know," Giles admitted, putting his glasses back on and holding out his hand for the folder Wesley was carrying. "With The Council destroyed, I'd believe many of their secrets and agendas died with them."

"Hmph," Sir Integra frowned, but nodding in acceptance of what Giles was saying. "Fine." She said shortly, ignoring the look Wesley gave her as he reluctantly handed over the file and diary for Giles to take. "We'll take the investigation from here." She said simply. "Whoever attacked The Council was using True Undead to do so, this attack falls under the purview of the Hellsing Charter, not The Council."

"Not like we could do anything about it anyway," Giles frowned but nodded along.

"Your Council has been destroyed." Sir Integra nodded. "There is little you could have done even if you had been here." She explained, noting the look of regret in Mr Giles' eyes.

"Perhaps," Giles said softly. "But they didn't deserve this."

"No one does." Sir Integra said simply. "With The Council gone, I expect both of you will be looking elsewhere for continued work." She smiled, bringing out her cigar case and sliding one out before lighting it with a simple gold lighter from her pocket. "The Hellsing Organisation would happily offer places for you all."

"The Watchers Council has fought vampires and demons since before…" Wesley blustered but was silenced by a glare from Sir Integra.

"The Slayers you mean." Sir Integra said firmly. "You don't even furnish your Slayers with the proper tools to get a job done."

"Something I have argued several times myself." Giles defended himself at Sir Integra's glare.

"Tradition and…"

"Tradition has no place on the front lines!" Sir Integra cut Wesley off sharply. "I will bring my offer to your Slayers myself, if I were you, I wouldn't interfere." She said sharply before holstering her gun and marching out of The Black Archive, her cigar smoke following her as she walked back into the corridor and back towards the main lobby, leaving Xander, Giles, Faith and Wesley stood behind in silence.

"Uh, think she's got the right idea," Xander said, holding his hand up gingerly. "Money, guns, body armour, that guy outside was carrying more weapons than Buffy ever had."

"Yes, The Hellsing Organisation outfits its teams very well," Giles nodded with respect in his voice. "While bullets wouldn't stop a vampire, there are more than a few demons that could be put down by superior firepower."

"And now you're telling us this?" Faith demanded. "I'm with X, Hellsing's got the right idea."

"The Council has commanded The Slayer for millennia, the Council fights evil. The Slayer is the instrument with which we fight. The Council remains. The Slayers... change. It's been that way from the beginning." Wesley argued back.

"Die," Xander corrected him. "Change," He snorted, sliding the assault rifle strap over his shoulder and letting it hang at his side. "They die, Slayers die because you don't give them guns or armour or teams to back them up." He spat out. "Tradition can go kiss my…"

"Xander!" Giles cut him off. "We will listen to what Sir Integra has to say." He said firmly. "As it is, The Watchers Council doesn't really stand for anything anymore."

"Aside from a bloody mess," Faith shrugged, ignoring the glare Wesley sent her way.

"Quite," Giles said softly, breathing out sharply. "I might not have seen eye to eye with The Council on a lot of things, but as… stuck in tradition as they were, they didn't deserve to be slaughtered and turned into walking corpses."

"Think the Hellsing teams took care of that," Xander said softly. "Laid them to rest right? Guessing that's the Hellsing term for slayed."

"Quite," Giles nodded. "If Sir Integra is offering us chance to fight alongside her against the creatures that did this, I plan to accept." He explained. "You can do what you want." He said, looking at Wesley before turning and walking out of The Black Archive.

"I'm with you," Xander nodded, following Giles out into the corridor.

"Hell yeah," Faith nodded. "They pay better right?" She asked with a smirk as she walked alongside Xander down the corridor, leaving Wesley behind in The Black Archive staring at the books, deep in thought.


	2. Chapter 2

TITLE: And Hell Followed With Him

DISCLAIMER: All things BtVS belong Joss Whedon, the Hellsing universe belongs to Kouta Hirano, nothing is mine, only the extremely twisted idea...

* * *

 **December 12, 1998**

 **11:31**

 **Hellsing Estate, London.**

The ride out of London to the Hellsing Estate had been made in silence, with neither the Sunnydale crew, nor Sir Integra or Walter, willing to discuss anything. For the most part, the Sunnydalers were actually thankful of the silence after what they had just seen, as none of them actually had any thoughts that could be put into words to describe the massacre that had left The Watchers Council so completely decimated.

Wesley had refused to join them, but with mutual agreement, with mostly Buffy and Faith willing to follow Giles' lead, they'd agreed to go with Sir Integra and hear what she had to say about offering them both a place at Hellsing.

Whatever Xander had been thinking was completely blown out of his mind as the four guards at the main gate waved the car through to the grounds of Hellsing Manor. It was emmense, with the manor in the distance following a large gravel drive leading up to it that split into several sections, even from the distance he could see it was four stories with a large bell tower on one side, almost like a church.

As Walter drove on slowly up the gravel path, he saw several groups of armed men moving around the grounds, exercising and performing drills that he vaguely remembered from Halloween memories. Off to one side he could see sets of barracks, along with an actual helecopter landing area with a large black helicopter parked on the pad. There were training areas and target ranges, along with large open spaces where various groups were performing hand to hand combat training out in the morning sun.

"Wow," Xander breathed out as Walter drove the car to the main entrance area and brought it to a stop before turning the ignition off and stepping out of the car quietly.

"Indeed," Walter smiled dryly over at Xander as he got out of his side of the car while moving around to open the door for Sir Integra to climb out.

"This place is amazing," Buffy whispered to Giles as they climbed out following Sir Integra, like Xander they had all been looking around at the grounds as they'd been driven through the grounds.

"I'll authorise a full tour later," Sir Integra said with a half-smile. "But I believe we have things to discuss first."

"It's also nearly lunch time," Walter said with a small smile.

"I don't think I could eat after seeing that," Buffy blanched slightly at the thought of food after seeing the slaughter that had happened at The Council building.

"I'm with B," Faith shook her head. "No thanks."

"Very well," Sir Integra nodded. "Have tea brought to my office Walter, we will be discussing things there." She said simply, moving to walk up the stairs to the main doors and into the building itself. "And take Alexander, he seems to handle a rifle well enough." She smirked at the rifle Xander was still carrying over his shoulder. "He might be a good protégé for you in the armory." She said with a smile as she walked through into the main building.

"We'll find you later ok?" Buffy said to Xander with a small smile. "Just, don't get lost or anything alright?" She said with a grin before running to catch up with Sir Integra with Faith.

"We'll talk soon alright?" Giles said quietly to Xander, noting how Walter had moved back by the car and was talking with another guard in Hellsing uniform and handing over the keys.

"Whatever," Xander shrugged as Walter came back to join them, leaving Giles simply to nod at him before walking away, following Sir Integra, Buffy and Faith. "Looks like it's you and me again." He said with a smile, looking over at Walter.

"Indeed," Walter smiled gently. "You seem to have handled yourself well enough with a rifle though, we can take this to the armoury before we head to Sir Integra's office."

"Sure," Xander nodded, following as Walter led the way up the stairs and into the main Hellsing manor. Much like The Council building, the Hellsing Manor was decorated beutifully inside, with paintings and sculptures around the entrance way and an ornate floor with a large silver cross inlayed in it that stretched out a dozen feet before them. "Again with the wow." Xander quipped as he followed Walter through, looking up the stairs to where he could see Buffy and Faith following Giles and Sir Integra down one corridor.

"Yes, most of the Hellsing family legacy is stored here," Walter explained. "The most famous of the Hellsing family, Abraham Van Helsing, brought much of the collection back from his excursions around the world."

"So, Integra, she's his…" Xander trailed off, trying to figure out what that made Integra.

"Abraham Van Helsing was Sir Integra's great grandfather," Walter explained, placing emphasis on the 'Sir' title for Xander to remember. "Famous above all else for his defeat of Dracula in eighteen ninety-seven."

"There really was a Dracula?" Xander asked in shock, still following Walter through the maze of corridors.

"Oh yes," Walter nodded with a sly smile as he turned one corner and came to a stop. "Ahh, Miss Victoria, this is Alexander, former employee of The Watchers Council." He said with a smile, introducing Xander to the small blonde who was smiling at him.

"Hi," Xander said, not entirely sure what else to say. She was about the same height as Buffy, maybe an inch or two shorter, with short blonde hair and blue eyes, a tight fitted pale blue uniform accentuated a curvy figure underneath with a Hellsing patch on her chest and left arm.

"Hi," She smiled back, waving her hand before continuing on the way she'd been walking.

"Miss Victoria is one of our specialist vampire hunters," Walter explained, knowing full well the truth about Seras and Alucard would come out in time, but for now he knew Alexander had had enough shocks after seeing what vampires and ghouls had done to The Council, and the experience would undoubtable colour any hope of introducing him to the True Vampires on Hellsing's payroll without incident. "Much like your Slayers." He equated as he gestured for them to continue walking.

"Gotcha," Xander nodded as he followed Walter down the corridor, sparing a glance back at where Miss Victoria was heading around a corridor, giving him one last lance as her shapely legs wearing pale stockings before she vanished from view.

"The armoury is just through here," Walter explained, coming around another corner and opening a door, leading the way through and then closing it behind them. "Ah, Captain Fargason." He said with a small smile as he led Xander through into the armoury. "We retrieved this from a body at the Watchers Council."

"I thought we'd sanitised all the bodies," Captain Fargason frowned, noting the assault rifle that Xander was carrying.

"This is Alexander, an employee of The Council that was away during the attack." Walter explained as Xander took the rifle off of his arm and handed it over to Captain Fargarson who took it and pulled the rounds out before securing the chamber.

"You're damn lucky to have survived that slaughter," Captain Fargason said as he secured the rifle and placed it on the desk behind him to be serviced at the end of the day. "Noone else did."

"Actually, one person who was in the building survived the attack," Walter explained. "A researcher by all accounts who locked himself in the archives. Alexander along with Senior Watcher Rupert Giles and two Slayers were in America during the attack."

"Hmmm," Captain Fargason nodded at this. "Looking to join Hellsing then?" He asked, looking at Xander cautiously, he looked too young personally, and didn't even look like he could pass the first round of fitness tests, let alone any of the advanced courses that Hellsing pushed its recruits through before even offering them a place.

"It's being discussed," Walter nodded. "If so, it's likely that Alexander will be joining us as a retainer, much like myself, not under field command."

"Aye," Captain Fargason nodded. "We can always use more men back at HQ to keep the guns in order and the silver running." He said with a smile. "If you'll excuse me, I've got a team waiting outside to head down to the range."

"Of course," Walter nodded with a smile as Captain Fargason left them in the armoury as he headed through the side doors out into the sunlight before closing the doors behind him.

"These… you use all these to hunt vampires?" Xander asked, looking around at the various selections of rifles, handguns, and some he didn't even recognise, including one gun that was almost a canon, reaching far above his height in its own storage rack.

"Most, yes." Walter nodded. "We have more exotic weaponry if the mission and expertise call for it, but most of our teams are outfitted with standard anti vampire rounds on a regular basis."

"And they're just normal right? Like, you and me? Not Slayers or anything?" Xander asked, smiling when Walter nodded in return.

"Of course," Walter nodded. "The Hellsing Organisation, The Royal Order of Protestant Knights as we're sometimes called, prides itself on its recruitment of the best of the best. True believers and faithful to the cause." He explained. "Now, shall we retrieve refreshments for Sir Integra and Mr Giles?" He said with a small smile, gesturing for Xander to follow him back out of the armoury towards the kitchens.

* * *

"Well," Sir Integra said with a small smile as she sat at her desk in the large office, the large windows behind her flooded the desk and office with light, silhouetting her against the light, and leaving Giles, Buffy and Faith to stand in the otherwise featureless office. "You've heard my offer."

"Yes," Giles nodded. "You want us to come and work for you."

"There is no want about it." Sir Integra said simply. "You have knowledge and skills that could be put to good use here. Far better use than The Council ever did. We can furnish your Slayers with the best weaponry available, body armour, support teams, and transport." She said simply. "What did The Council ever offer you?" She asked, looking past Mr Giles to where Buffy and Faith were already engrossed in what she was saying but had got stuck on the offer of weaponry.

"Uhh," Buffy floundered, looking at Giles for an answer.

"I believe that answers that," Sir Integra laughed to herself. "We can provide a first class education for you, resources to fight, teams to back you up, and influence that knows no bounds." She explained.

"We don't have to wear uniforms, right?" Buffy asked, looking at Sir Integra then to Giles. "'Cause British shows on TV always show schools in uniforms and stuff."

"Buffy, you'll be eighteen next year." Giles said with a small smile. "High School in England finishes at sixteen."

"The Hellsing organisation doesn't normally sponsor college applicants, but for special cases we've done so in the past." Sir Integra explained. "My father sponsored Walter's college education at Oxford where he did well in Philosophy and Politics."

"You'd sponsor me to go to college?" Buffy asked, looking to Giles for a translation.

"Think of it as a scholarship Buffy," Giles explained with a small smile.

"Of course, that's if you take our offer of employment." Sir Integra reminded them. "I believe you would do well in our research department as well Mr Giles, though you would obviously be kept primarily on retainer to help your Slayers."

"What about me?" Faith shrugged. "Don't get me wrong, it's a sweet deal for B and Giles, but what about me and X?"

"Alexander you mean?" Sir Integra said thoughtfully, lifting one of the panatela cigars off her desk and lighting it in a practiced motion. "You have no aspirations for college?"

Faith snorted at that, shaking her head. "Not my thing." She said with a shrug.

"And what is your thing?" Sir Integra asked, blowing out a cloud of smoke and contemplating what she could actually offer the teen Slayer in return for her employment. "Aside from a steady pay cheque and all the weapons you could dream of to hunt and exterminate vampires from this Earth?"

"You had me at weapons, but pay cheque sounds good to me." Faith grinned over as Giles rolled his eyes at her.

"You'll find the promise of new weapons are something of a weakness for both of them." Giles admitted with a small smile. "Both have a predilection for melee weaponry."

"Which would be fine against the demonic breed, but against a true vampire, getting close enough to engage it with melee weapons is suicidal." Sir Integra explained. "Training with firearms and carrying one will be paramount if you accept."

"Gun, stake, whatever works." Faith shrugged.

"I used a rocket launcher once?" Buffy offered. "Big demon, The Judge, remember?" She asked, looking at Giles. "Demon go boom." She shrugged.

"Quite," Sir Integra frowned, resisting the urge to roll her eyes at the Californian Slayer as she noticed Walter and Alexander coming into the office behind them. "Ah, Walter, thank you." She said, grinding out her cigar in the ashtray on her desk.

"Apologies for the delay Sir Integra," Walter smiled as he walked through the office with the tray of freshly brewed tea and placed it on the desk, Xander following with another tray that he'd loaded with cans of coke and chocolate covered cookies, though Walter had called them biscuits, for the rest of them. "Alexander seemed most taken by our armoury."

"Oh?" Sir Integra raised an eyebrow at this, looking over at Xander who was passing a can of coke to Buffy and Faith before opening his own. "We were just discussing the benefits your Slayers would enjoy at Hellsing. What would your speciality be?"

"Uh, mine?" Xander asked in surprise.

"You seemed to handle a rifle well enough," Sir Integra noted. "I assume you've had firearms training alone with the usual weaponry The Council inflicts upon it's Slayers." She rolled her eyes as she pictured the antique weapons she knew full well The Council used to furnish its Slayers with. "Its nice to see that at least some of you have managed to move into the twentieth century." She said dryly as Walter poured her a cup of tea, adding milk and sugar to it before placing it in front of her.

"Perhaps you were correct earlier," Walter said with a smile. "A protégé for myself perhaps, retainer, researcher, weapon smith, and confidant." Walter explained. "After all, who knows the needs of a Slayer better than he, and with the right training, I could see young Alexander being quite the protégé."

"Hmm," Sir Integra nodded at this. "We'd have to do something about your clothes," She said, noting the loose jeans and loud shirt loosely worn over a t-shirt he was wearing, but she was willing to accept what Walter was saying so far. "You think he'll be able to keep up with you?" She asked wryly, looking over at Walter.

"Oh yes," Walter smiled back. "With the right training, I could envision him being quite the vampire hunter himself." Walter smiled as he caught Xander's eye at that.

Xander nodded quickly as Walter caught his eye, he wasn't quite sure what Walter was offering, but he was offering to train him, that much he'd caught, and thought he could be a vampire hunter himself. Not the demon vampires, but the proper vampires that these people normally fought. The thought of someone actually willing to give him proper training, not to mention the blonde he'd met in the corridor downstairs, was certainly enough incentive to give him serious thoughts about it.

"We'll… we'll talk it over, right guys?" Buffy asked, looking back at Faith and Xander, then at Giles.

"Of course," Sir Integra nodded. "Walter can show you to a room, and organise a tour of our facilities. I have other matters to attend to."

"Of course," Giles nodded respectfully. "Thank you for the offer Sir Integra." He said as Walter led the group out of Sir Integra's offices and through into the main corridor and along to a spare room they could use to discuss things.

* * *

"This place… this is… wow!" Buffy breathed out as she looked around the room Walter had shown them to, the 'room' was larger than her entire house, with seats around the room and books on shelves with titles she'd never even heard of. Across one wall was windows that were the entire height of the room, taller than anything she'd seen outside of churches before.

"They've got some money here right G?" Faith asked, looking at Giles. "Not that The Council didn't have money, but these guys aren't as tightass with it."

"Quite," Giles nodded. "No, the Hellsing Organisation is extremely well funded, both privately and by The Crown. With The Council gone, I'll admit to giving their offer some serious thought."

"Hell yeah," Faith nodded as she slumped in one of the chairs around the room, grinning as she drank a mouthful of her coke. "They want to pay me to kick ass, and buy the weapons? I'm down for that." She said with a grin.

"They'd pay for me to go to college," Buffy said in a small voice. "College, a fancy English college." She smiled, turning to Giles. "Is she serious, Sir Integra? And what's with the Sir? She's a woman, right?"

"Yes," Giles laughed at the question. "It's a matter of title, as a leader of the Royal Protestant Knights, she is designated with the title, 'Sir', regardless of her sex." He explained.

"So, what's the deal with them? These knights?" Xander asked. "They're not real knights right? Like knights of the round table?"

"Actually, precisely that," Giles nodded as he found his own chair to sit down in. "The Round Table, or Convention of Twelve as it's more commonly known in political circles today, has comprised of various members of political, economic and military power from around the country. Like Sir Integra, Quentin Travers also sat at The Round Table."

"Whoa," Faith nodded respectfully. "Like King Arthur right? That kicks ass." She grinned. "So we'd be knights?"

"Knights?" Buffy asked curiously.

"No, it doesn't work like that," Giles smiled gently. "But back to what we were talking about, yes, her offer is genuine. And as the most senior member of The Watchers Council left, I would also bring the entire resources of The Council and holdings to the table as well."

"Wait, if you're the only watcher left, aside from that Wesley guy, doesn't that mean you get to sit at the round table as well?" Xander asked curiously.

"Unlike Quentin, I was never my ambition to rise so high within The Council," Giles admitted.

"So, if you've got all the money and stuff from The Council, why don't we do our own thing?" Faith asked with a shrug. "Not that this place isn't kicking all sorts of ass and all." She said with a grin.

"The logistics and… the organisation of acquiring resources and weaponry to match the Hellsing Organisation would be… problematic," Giles admitted. "In time, it could be done, but I admit I lack that necessary influence or knowhow to bring such an organisation together."

"Just an idea," Faith shrugged. "Hell, I'm all for joining these guys."

"You should have seen their armoury," Xander grinned. "We're talking guns and GUNS," He emphasised the last with his hands. "A canon down there must have been ten feet long." He explained. "Getting the vibe that that Walter guy is a serious badass as well."

"The butler?" Buffy raised her eyebrow.

"Walter Dornez," Giles nodded. "Yes, The Council had files on him before I was assigned to Sunnydale. Most Watchers know about Hellsing and their members, who to avoid and so on."

"So?" Xander asked, waiting for him to continue. "Badass?"

"Yes," Giles sighed at the description Xander had used for Walter. "He was known as The Angel of Death during World War Two, he was younger than you are at the time, but infiltrated Belin itself on at least one occasion."

"Ok, badass as a butler, I'm getting the feeling that this place has a lot more going for it than The Council does." Xander grinned, definitely feeling a lot more pride in the fact that Walter, The Angel of Death, had offered to make him his protégé.

"I think we should take it," Faith grinned. "Weapons, guns, and money? Hell, I'm good here already." She laughed.

"I'm in," Xander nodded. "They train people here, not just Slayers, but normal guys." He said, walking to a window and looking out at the various men running around outside on the grounds practicing their drills. "These guys take out vampires that make Angel look like a cuddly bear." He said simply. "I'm in." He said after a moment's thought.

"Xander, if you had asked for…"

"I did," Xander said, looking away from Giles. "I was out there every night with Buffy, just like Willow." He said, looking out of the window. "At least they give their people the guns to do the job here." He said, ignoring the way Giles and Buffy were looking at him in the reflection in the glass. "Hell, we all saw Faith's crappy motel a few weeks back, did you do anything about that either?" He asked, turning around and looking at Giles. "Or how that fake Watcher used her?"

"Xander, I hardly think…"

"Did you do anything about it?" Xander bit out, interrupting him and waiting for an answer.

"No," Giles said softly after a few moments.

"Didn't think so," Xander shook his head, putting his can of coke down on one of the tables and walking to the door. "Yeah, I forgot, I'm just the doughnut boy." He said as a parting shot as he left the room.

"Hold up," Faith said simply, getting up and leaving just like Xander had done, leaving Buffy and Giles alone in silence.

* * *

"What's with that?" Faith asked, jogging down the corridor to catch up with Xander as he quick marched away from the room they'd been shown to. "Thought you were tight with B and the watcher type?"

"Just a lot of things," Xander shrugged as he continued walking, not even bothering to stop as Faith moved up alongside him. "Did Giles ever do any training with you? Anything at all?"

"He's B's watcher, not mine." Faith shrugged the comment off.

"Didn't think so," Xander interpreted her comment for her. "Angel comes back from the dead, she hides it from us all for weeks, doing the same stuff that turned him to a killer before, and we're just supposed to forgive and forget everything?"

"Ain't that what friends do?" Faith asked, following Xander down a random flight of stairs as they walked aimlessly around the large mansion.

"I'm getting sick of friends that are only there when they need something," Xander said firmly. "These guys have the right idea; I think I'll fit in just fine here."

"Me too." Faith nodded, accepting the change in conversation as something Xander didn't really want to continue talking about. "That mean you got to wear the butler suit as well then?" She grinned at him as they continued walking, heading towards a door that lead to the outside.

"Should have seen the uniform I saw one of their specialists wearing," Xander grinned at her. "If you wear that, I'll wear the monkey suit." He smirked at her as he led the way out into the midday sun.

* * *

"Come," Sir Integra said firmly, not even bothering to look up from her papers as the knock on her office door interrupted her.

"I hope I'm not intruding," Giles said, announcing himself as he walked into the office and closed the door quietly behind him.

"The distraction is welcome," Sir Integra said simply, putting down her pen and looking away from the latest report on the FREAK chipped vampire attacks around England. "You've come to a decision?"

"Actually the discussion raised some rather interesting points," Giles explained as he moved to stand by Sir Integra's desk. "One of which was that as the senior surviving Watcher, that puts me in control of The Council and its resources."

"Indeed." Sir Integra nodded, accepting this. "You want to take Quentin's seat at The Round Table?" She asked, wondering if she'd overestimated the man as she looked at him.

"No," Giles shook his head simply. "Politics was never my strong suit." He admitted. "Though instead of simple employment, I thought I'd come to you with a counter offer. If you have the time of course."

"By all means," Sir Integra nodded, gesturing for him to continue.

"We call a meeting of The Round Table," Giles explained. "And I vacate the Council Seat for a merger between our two organisations." He said, watching Sir Integra for her reaction. "It could only be done in front of the full table, or the others would suspect political manoeuvring."

"True," Sir Integra nodded thoughtfully. "You mean we join The Hellsing Organisation and The Watchers Council?"

"Both have the same mandate," Giles explained. "The Council has operated worldwide for thousands of years now, while Hellsing protects Queen and Country."

"An overseas and home branch." Sir Integra raised her eyebrow at the thought.

"We pool our resources, become a single organisation." Giles explained.

"And who leads this pooled organisation?" Sir Integra asked cautiously. It was a good idea, but she was not willing to sacrifice her family's legacy over an idea, no matter how tempting it might be.

"My focus are The Slayers… and Xander," Giles said in response. "Between us, we have the resources to more than double your teams and firepower, and also bring arcane knowledge and research to the table."

"Hmmm," Sir Integra nodded, she had to admit, research was one thing The Council did excruciatingly well. In the past when they'd come across demonic threats in London, to her chagrin she'd actually had to come to Quentin Travers herself and he'd always made her pay for the knowledge she needed to save lives. "Very well," Sir Integra nodded. "I'll arrange a Convention of Twelve for Monday." She said, mentally noting that four days' time should be more than enough notice for the rest of the Round Table to organise its members to attending.

"Then we have a deal." Giles said, stepping forward and holding out his hand for Sir Integra to shake.

"A deal." Sir Integra parroted Mr Giles' words as she stood up from her own chair and shook his hand firmly.

* * *

"Whoa!" Faith stepped back as a gunshot echoed through the grounds where they were walking, far louder than anything else they'd heard so far. "What the hell was that?" She asked, looking around and trying to identify where the sound had come from.

"Big gun," Xander said appreciatively, pointing over one side where behind a steel barrier wall he could see the last few feet of barrel of the absurdly large canon he'd seen earlier in the armoury, only now it was moving like someone was carrying it.

"This I gotta see," Faith grinned, heading off towards the metal barrier with Xander following, walking around it cautiously as it looked like some sort of firing range.

"You!" Xander grinned as they reached the end of the metal barrier, recognising the short blonde girl in a blue uniform from before. "Hey again." He smiled. "Nice gun."

"It's a bit over sized," Seras admitted, remembering her reaction yesterday when Walter had first presented her with the Harkonnen. "I'm still getting used to it."

"How much does that thing weigh?" Faith asked, looking at the sheer size of it and width of the barrel compared to how easily the blonde girl looked to be carrying it.

"Sorry, Faith, Miss Victoria, right?" Xander asked, introducing them to each other. "Sorry, Walter didn't give me your first name."

"Seras," Seras said, smiling at him. "About sixty kilos," She explained, waiting for Alexander and the new girl to figure out what she was and shy away from her, just like all the other troops at Hellsing had done so far.

"Sweet," Faith grinned. "Mind if I?" She asked, holding her hand out to take the canon from her, noting the writing along the side under the main barrel "Harkonnen Anti-Tank Canon." She grinned. "Hell yeah."

"Uh, are you sure, I mean it's not exactly meant…" Seras trailed off, gingerly holding the Harkonnen out for the new girl to take, and then blinking in surprise as she lifted it as easily as she had been doing.

"That's the range right?" Faith grinned, looking down where Seras had been coming from and levelling the Harkonnen down the range, staring down the stupidly long barrel.

"Yes," Seras said in surprise. "It fires thirty millimetre depleted uranium rounds." She explained, nodding to the large lead lined box at the side of the range.

"Uranium?" Faith raised her eyebrow at this. "This sucker's nuclear?" She asked in surprise.

"Silver and napalm rounds too," Seras explained.

"Oh I gotta try this X," Faith grinned. "Can I?" She asked, looking at Seras.

"She can handle it," Xander grinned at the way Seras seemed hesitant.

"I'll show you," Seras said with a small nod, walking over to the case of practice rounds she'd brought out with her and bringing out a small incendiary round, it wasn't the full charge that Walter had stored in the armoury, but these small charge practice rounds were more than enough to give her a good feel for how the Harkonnen worked.

"Sweet," Faith grinned, looking at the large bullet that Seras was bringing over.

"You load it in here," Seras explained, taking the Harkonnen back and twisting the latch so the main barrel popped away from the stock, letting her reload. As she opened the barrel her old casing flew out, flying into the air before coming down where Xander caught it deftly. "Thanks." She said, smiling at him.

"No big," Xander shrugged, putting the spent casing down on the floor.

"The recoil might be too much for you, especially freehold," Seras explained. "It's primarily used as an ant-midian weapon, like a sniper rifle."

"Gotcha," Faith nodded, watching as Seras adjusted the Harkonnen, moving down two struts half way down the barrel so it could be rested like a normal rifle, just nearly five times the size.

"Line up your sight, compensate, and fire." Seras explained.

"Got it," Faith nodded.

"Range two, fire on fire!" Seras shouted out, moving away from Faith and gesturing for Xander to follow her. "Are you sure she can…"

Whatever else Seras was about to say was drowned out by the sound of the Harkonnen firing, even at twenty percent the incendiary round rocketed down the range and exploded within the enclosed area at the far side, igniting on impact and scorching the area with napalm.

"Whoa!" Xander blew out, stepping backwards slightly as the blast of hot air from the napalm powered blaze hit him. "I'm deaf!" He grinned, showing he was joking but rubbing his ears and wincing anyway.

"Fuck!" Faith swore from where she was still laying down with the canon, cradling her shoulder in one arm and one of her ears in the other. "Damn girl! What the hell are you shooting with that thing?"

"What the hell is going on here?!"

All three of them turned around at the bellowed voice, looking at the person that was slowly approaching the range.

"Captain Fargason?" Xander asked, hoping he got the name right from when he'd met the man earlier in the armoury.

"Aye," Captain Fargason nodded but continued to glare at the three of them. "What in gods name are the two of you doing here? Neither of you are cleared to use the firing range!"

"Sorry Captain," Seras said, lifting up the Harkonnen from the floor where Faith had left it. "When I saw them, I thought you'd cleared them already."

"I didn't know we needed clearance," Xander shrugged. "Sorry."

"You could have both been killed." Captain Fargason glared at them both. "Who fired that shot?"

Faith simply shrugged, putting her free hand up and wincing as the movement pulled on her shoulder. "Still alive." She grinned through the pain.

Captain Fargason snorted at that before turning back to Xander. "Slayer?" He asked, raising his eyebrow, knowing no normal human he knew of could even carry Seras' Harkonnen, let alone fire it without the recoil killing them.

"Faith, Captain Fargason." Xander said with a nod, confirming what Captain Fargason had said.

"Didn't think you lot went in for guns," Captain Fargason said with a frown. "That was a good shot though, bit wide, but it would have done the job."

"Thanks," Faith shrugged.

"We'll get you upto scratch in no time lass," Captain Fargason nodded. "Once you've passed your training that is."

"Sounds good," Faith nodded. "Think that's a bit too much gun for me though."

"Aye," Captain Fargason laughed. "It's a bit too much for anyone else really. Surprised she let you use it."

"I didn't… I didn't mean… I was surprised she could lift it." Seras stammered out, still trying to figure out what Captain Fargason and Alexander had meant when they'd called Faith a Slayer.

"Ain't her fault," Faith said, leaning down and dusting off her jeans now that her hearing had recovered. "Thought I could give it a go."

"Stick to our normal weapons for now," Captain Fargason said simply. "Until Walter and Alexander fix up something special just for you. Then you two can trade all you want."

Faith and Seras just looked at each other at this, smiling and nodding.

"The vampire and the Slayer," Captain Fargason muttered, shaking his head. "What is the world coming to?"

"Vampire?" Faith asked, instantly jumping away from the girl and readying herself for attack, noticing Xander doing the same behind her.

"Didn't you know?" Captain Fargason laughed. "Not one of those demonic trash you used to fight, Seras is one of the true vampires, or will be, one day."

"You're a vampire?" Xander asked in shock, suddenly looking up at the sky and noticing the sun beaming down. "In sunlight?" He asked, poking Faith in the back to draw her attention to it.

"Like I said, not one of your demonic types," Captain Fargason explained. "Hellsing's secret weapon." He grinned.

"And the weird just keeps on coming," Xander muttered. "Uh, sorry?" He said, moving forward next to Faith and relaxing slightly. "We've… we've not seen a real vampire before?" He explained.

"I'm used to it," Seras nodded. "Sorry, I should… I should go." She said simply, lifting the giant Harkonnen over her shoulder and moving to grab her practice ammunition before leaving them quickly before Alexander or the new girl could say anything worse to her.

"What's that about?" Xander asked, looking over at Captain Fargason.

"Some of the men are giving her a hard time," Captain Fargason explained. "She's new, only a few weeks in herself. The men just aren't used to having a girl like her in their ranks. She's harmless, just wants to fit in and do her job, but a vampire in the squad has ruffled a few feathers."

"Shit," Faith muttered, rolling her eyes. "Girls been alone for weeks, and we come alone and make it worse."

"She'll get over it." Captain Fargason said easily. "She'll live forever; she's got to toughen her skin sometime."

"Maybe some friends would make it easier for her to adjust Captain," Xander said with a shrug. "Come on." He nodded to Faith, moving off to follow the direction Seras had been moving in.

"Fine, be like that." Captain Fargason shrugged as he watched them walk away after the vampire.

* * *

"Mom?" Buffy asked as the dial tone was replaced with a confused noise, looking up at Giles and Walter she smiled thankfully for letting her use the phone.

"Buffy?" Joyce's voice came back, a bit clearer this time. "Is that you?"

"It's me mom," Buffy smiled as she sat down in the chair by the phone.

"Buffy, do you know what time it is?" Joyce's voice came over.

"Uh, lunch time?" Buffy said, looking up at Giles in confusion. "Oh, the time zone thing, sorry, I forgot. It's early there right?"

"It's just after four in the morning," Joyce complained.

"Sorry," Buffy winced to herself, making a mental note to ask Giles about time zones in the future. "I… I just really needed to talk to you."

"Buffy? Is everything ok?" Joyce's voice came back, far more alert now.

"It's fine, I'm fine," Buffy said quickly. "Better than fine, good even."

"Buffy, what's going on? Did something happen? Are there vampires there? British vampires?" Joyce's voice asked.

"No, I mean, maybe? I don't know," Buffy shook her head. "I got an offer mom, a good one." She said quickly.

"An offer?" Joyce asked. "Already?"

"A sponsor? Is that right?" Buffy asked, looking at Giles in confusion. "It's like a scholarship I guess, they should just call it a scholarship right?"

"You got offered a scholarship?" Joyce asked back, her voice far more attentive now. "In england?"

"Where did Sir Integra say? The place her father sent Walter? That's a college right?" Buffy asked, looking at Giles.

"Oxford," Giles said with a small chuckle.

"Oxford, right," Buffy said back into the phone. "They offered me this whole big deal thing and I… I think I want to do it." She said quietly.

"Do they… do they know, about…" Joyce trailed off, not sure if anyone else was in the room with her daughter on the other side.

"Yeah," Buffy nodded. "They're like this big organisation, Giles knows them, he's sort of working with them now. They even offered to pay me, pay me for the slaying!" She grinned. "And a weapons allowance. Think I could ask for a shoe allowance too?" Buffy asked, turning back to Giles. "That's totally a thing right?"

"Buffy, I haven't even had a coffee yet," Joyce said, almost begging her daughter to slow down. "They offered you a job?"

"Uhuh," Buffy nodded at the phone. "Faith too, and Xander. Everyone's talking about doing it."

"Buffy, this… this is a big decision." Joyce said softly. "England isn't just a few towns over like Sunnydale was from the city, it's an entirely different country."

"Yeah, I know." Buffy nodded again. "Like funny money and everything." She shrugged. "I just… I wanted to talk to you before I said anything."

"Thank you," Joyce said, the relief in her voice almost palpable over the phone. "Is… is Mr Giles there?" She asked hesitantly.

"Oh, yeah, sure," Buffy shrugged, standing up from her chair and holding the phone out towards Giles. "Mom wants to talk to you." She explained, watching as Walter raised an eyebrow from where he was stood by the door.

"Ah, hello?" Giles asked hesitantly as he took the phone from Buffy.

"Mr Giles?" Joyce asked.

"Yes, I'm here." Giles said as he sat down in the chair Buffy had vacated.

"Is… is what Buffy said true? She's been offered a scholarship?" Joyce asked.

"Yes, quite true." Giles confirmed. "I can imagine there would be plenty of colleges that Buffy could get accepted to here."

"I… I didn't think…" Joyce's voice came back. "I didn't know how I was going to be able to pay for Buffy's college fees."

"Quite alright," Giles nodded, not knowing what else to say. "The offer is a good one, but is part of Buffy accepting a place to work her and continue her slaying."

"She'd be working there too?" Joyce's voice came back. "Where's there?"

"Some thirty miles just outside of London," Giles explained. "An organisation dedicated to protecting people."

"But… I could visit, and she could visit?" Joyce asked. "She'll come home and finish school right?"

"There are lots of things to talk about, I'm sure we can discuss all of this at a time when we're all more comfortable to talk." Giles said diplomatically. "I confess, with the events of today, I'd actually forgotten about the time difference myself, I can only apologise."

"It was good that she called." Joyce's voice came back. "Can she call again? Tomorrow afternoon? We can talk then?"

"I think that would be fine," Giles smiled, standing back up from the chair and handing the phone back to Buffy. "She wants to know if you can call tomorrow." He explained as he passed her the phone.

"Can I?" Buffy asked, looking over at where Walter was stood.

"Of course," Walter said with a small bow.

"They said I could." Buffy said into the phone. "An afternoon call right? Your afternoon? So… what's that here?" She asked, turning to Giles.

"Late tomorrow evening." Giles converted the extra eight hours for her.

"Right, tomorrow night then." Buffy said back to the phone. "We can talk then?"

"Of course Buffy," Joyce's voice came back. "I… I'm proud of you Buffy."

"Thanks mom," Buffy said with a smile as she held the phone close. "I'll speak to you tomorrow ok?"

"Enjoy yourself over there, and don't forget to bring me back something." Joyce reminded her tongue in cheek about the gift.

"Yeah yeah," Buffy smiled. "Bye mom, love you."

"Love you too," Joyce said softly before hanging up the phone.

"I hadn't realised your mother lived in Sunnydale with you, my apologies." Walter said softly. "It was my understanding that Slayers were trained from children and taken from their parents at a young age."

"Buffy is quite the exception," Giles said, refusing to talk about Council Tradition that he'd always fought against.

"Yes, I'm seeing that." Walter said with a small smile.

* * *

"You think she went down here?" Faith asked, looking down the dark stairs down to the basement of the Hellsing mansion.

"Vampire right?" Xander shrugged.

"Vampire that can walk in daylight? What's up with that?" Faith asked before following Xander down the dimly lit stone stairs.

"These vamps have different rules?" Xander guessed as he led the way. "Like, Sunnydale vamps don't make zombies when they bite them, these ones do." He explained. "God knows what other funky stuff they can do."

"Like shooting big ass guns?" Faith grinned, while her shoulder was still a bit sore from firing Seras' Harkonnen, it was nowhere near as sore as it had been.

"Vampires with guns, yeah, kinda happy we don't have those back in Sunnydale." Xander nodded thankfully, imagining what would have happened if Spike had come to Sunnydale with guns last year.

"Kinda happy these guys want to kit us out with proper weapons," Faith muttered, following Xander along the stone corridor. "Imagine going up against something like that with just a stake."

"No thanks," Xander shook his head. "Makes you wonder what sort of a badass Walter was though, I mean, he got the nickname Angel of Death somehow right? And working for this place, I'm guessing it's not a funny nickname."

"You should ask him."

Both Faith and Xander froze at the voice coming from behind them, turning around slowly and then looking up and further up at the man that towered over them both. He was easily close to seven feet tall, wearing a blood red coat and hat, with shining orange sunglasses that looked down at them both.

"Uh, hi?" Xander said quietly, resisting the urge to run like hell that was bubbling in his stomach.

"Hello Slayer," The man grinned down, ignoring Xander and staring at Faith. "It's been a long time since I've seen a Slayer."

"True Vampire?" Xander guessed, backing up several steps and feeling reassured as Faith did the same alongside him.

"Oh yeah," Faith nodded quickly as the tall man laughed, baring teeth that definitely weren't human.

"What are you doing here Slayer?" The man asked.

"Working?" Faith hazarded. "Not slaying right? He's a no slay? You work here?" She asked in quick succession, hoping that the huge man was on her no slay list, because if he was as strong as the girl outside had been, then she was definitely in trouble given the close corridor and his shear size.

"A Slayer working for my master?" The man raised an eyebrow over his orange glasses and laughed again. "Don't we live in interesting times." He grinned, baring fangs again. "And what do you want in my rooms little Slayer?"

"We're… we're looking for another vampire?" Faith asked hesitantly.

"Seras," Xander supplied for her.

"The Police Girl?" The man asked in surprise. "What do you want with her?"

"Talk?" Xander answered this one, bringing the man's attention back to him. "Captain Fargason said she didn't really have anyone here, aside from you I guess right?"

"To talk?" The man repeated him, staring down. "Humans." He muttered to himself, extending one long arm and pointing down the corridor over their heads. "The end room on the right." He said simply.

"Huh?" Xander asked, following his gaze along the giant's arm to his white glove where he was pointing, only to look back ready to ask again but found the tall vampire in red had vanished.

"Oh fuck!" Faith breathed out as she looked around frantically for the huge man. "Is he gone?"

"I don't see him," Xander said quickly, looking as far down each side of the corridor as he could. "Where the hell did he go? Or come from?"

"Fuck that!" Faith swore. "He's on their side, why the hell do they need us?" She asked, her pulse still racing from being around the huge vampire without attacking. "Who the hell was that?"

"Walter didn't say anything about vampires working here either." Xander shook his head quickly. "Daylight?" He asked, pointing back the way they came. "Or Seras?" He asked, looking further down the dark corridor.

"They can walk in daylight remember," Faith muttered, shaking her head. "Come on." She said, swatting his arm as she followed the huge vampire's instructions and walked further down the corridor. "Fuck, need a fresh pair of panties after that." She muttered to herself as they walked on.

"Right there with ya," Xander muttered in agreement as he followed her into the darkness.

* * *

"Hmm?" Sir Integra looked up from her paperwork, having got used to today's interruptions by now as Walter walked into her office silently. "What is it Walter?" She asked, looking back to her papers with irritation.

"A curiosity," Walter explained as he closed the office door behind him and walked over. "The older Slayer, Miss Buffy."

"Americans," Sir Integra shook her head at the name.

"Quite," Walter nodded in agreement. "Miss Buffy asked if she could contact home, to speak with her mother." Walter explained, waiting for the reaction as Sir Integra looked up at him in surprise.

"She has family?" Sir Integra asked, shocked at this revelation.

"Yes," Walter nodded. "I even witnessed her mother asking to speak to Mr Giles, and mentioned her nocturnal activities to him."

"Her mother knows? And talks with her Watcher?" Sir Integra asked, sitting back in her chair in surprise and bringing up a panatela cigar to light before blowing a cloud of smoke out into the room. "Hardly the typical Slayer."

"Not at all," Walter nodded in agreement. "Obviously she wishes to discuss your offer with her mother before speaking again to you, but I believe from what I heard that she is more than willing to take the opportunity."

"And the others?" Sir Integra asked, breathing in her cigar with a smile.

"Miss Faith seemed adequately happy with the promise of employment and payment for her activities," Walter explained. "Placing her in a combat team wouldn't be hard, though I'd recommend using them both as sparingly as you would Alucard, to risk the possibility of one, or both of them, being killed."

"They're not tools Walter," Sir Integra shook her head. "We won't be The Council and discard them like playing cards." She said, blowing out a cloud of smoke. "See to it, whatever weapons they want, body armour to fit, I want a second armoury stocked just for them."

"Very well," Walter nodded. "I'd believe it would mostly be swords and the like, though I would advise introducing them slowly to firearms. Both of them have used archaic weaponry for so long, that while limited in efficacy, it becomes offset by their proficiency."

"Fine," Sir Integra nodded. "But as a concession, I want their new weapons to be blessed silver. If they're going to be working with us, they're going to need to fight like us."

"Oh yes, I wouldn't have it any other way." Walter nodded with a small smile.

"And what of the boy?" Sir Integra asked, raising her eyebrow at Walter. "A protégé?"

"A fanciful term," Walter smiled. "It occurred to me that unlike our men here at Hellsing, Alexander has been operating alongside the Slayers for several years now. And unlike the Slayers, has none of their enhancements."

"You think you could teach him?" Sir Integra asked curiously. The thought of another Walter working for Hellsing, even an American version, was tempting.

"Perhaps," Walter admitted. "I will talk with him tomorrow about some opportunities, see what the boy is made of."

"At his age, you were fighting through Nazi's in the middle of Berlin," Sir Integra smirked. "I don't think he's up to your speed yet Walter."

"No," Walter smiled. "But I did notice his eyes when I offered to train him, something I don't think anyone at The Council has offered him before."

"That wouldn't surprise me," Sir Integra frowned, grinding out her cigar in her ash tray. "He's neither rich nor influential, why would The Council ever have bothered with him." She said sadly. "Good riddance." She said firmly, thinking that now The Council was gone, she wouldn't have to deal with that idiot Quentin Travers anymore.

"If not, then he has the ear of both Slayers," Walter explained. "If nothing else, he's a connection that we should utilise."

"Train him if you can," Sir Integra shrugged. "If not, we'll find another place for him."

"As you command," Walter said with a nod, moving to leave Sir Integra to return to her paperwork.

* * *

"Uh, hello?" Xander asked aloud, knocking on the door that the large vampire in the red coat had indicated to them. "It's Xander."

"And Faith," She called out from beside him. "Hey, we're sorry alright, didn't mean to do the whole freaksome thing on you." She paused for a moment, waiting for any reply. "You in there?" She asked, waiting another moment before looking back at Xander. "Think the other vamp was lying? Vamps lie right?"

"No we don't," A voice came from the other side of the door before it was pulled open, the heavy metal grating on the stone floor.

"Oh, hey," Faith grimaced at what she'd just said. "Vamps we knew did." She explained.

"We're sorry," Xander said, holding his hands up. "Kinda only got told about this different type of vampire thing today."

"I didn't even know," Seras explained. "I was going to ask my master when I saw him, see if he knew anything about different kinds of vampire."

"You can ask us," Xander smiled at her. "Been fighting them for years now." He grinned. "But only if we can ask you stuff?"

"Me?" Seras asked in shock.

"First true vampire I've met," Faith shrugged. "Kinda got to do the question thing."

"Is that why you're here?" Seras frowned at them both. "To find out what I am?"

"No," Xander shook his head. "Ok, kinda?" He smiled softly. "We only just got her today, and I'm not really big on the whole pissing people off on the first day thing."

"Pft, you think annoying people is an art form," Faith snorted in response to that.

"Well, yeah, but just Angel, he deserves it." Xander grinned back. "And Giles', 'cause it's funny."

"Angel? Giles?" Seras asked, raising her eyebrow at the names.

"Oh, yeah," Xander nodded. "Can we uh…" He gestured to inside her room. "Standing in a dark corridor isn't exactly filling me with safe feelings right now."

"And being in a room with a vampire would?" Seras threw back at him.

"Walter vouched for you, right?" Xander asked. "And Captain Fargason? He told us about the guys around giving you a hard time."

"He told you that?" Seras asked in shock. "When I get my hands on him…"

"No killing the staff, that's like a rule here, right?" Xander asked hopefully. "'Cause we're working here now, so kinda want to put a check on that box right now. He said you were just here doing your job right?"

"You're working here?" Seras asked. "At Hellsing?"

"Yup," Faith grinned. "Going to ask for a sweet ass gun like yours." She paused, thinking for a moment. "Ok, bit smaller than yours, can't be carrying that huge thing everywhere."

"You should try getting it in a transport," Seras laughed. "Fine, come in." She said, stepping away from the door and looking at their surprise. "What?"

"Just funny to hear a vampire say that," Xander grinned as he walked in. "The vamps back in Sunnydale couldn't come in unless you invited them."

"That's weird," Seras frowned but noted that down, walking away from the door back into her main room, it was sparsely decorated, with two paintings on the far wall, landscapes, and recessed lights at either side along the length of the stone walls. A large red carpet with gold ornate trim was lying in the middle of the room, with a coffin in the middle of it. There was a wardrobe and a table with two chairs at one side of the room, a chair and a dressing table along one wall with a mirror, and a chest of draws at the other, leaving the room feeling very spartan and cold.

"Kinda… empty?" Faith asked as she walked into the room, looking around. "Guessing you don't need much around here though." She shrugged, thinking of the huge mansion upstairs.

"Hey, mirror!" Xander grinned, pointing to the mirror by the table. "You can see yourself?"

"Of course," Seras asked in confusion.

"Not like our vamps at all," Xander shook his head in confusion. "Coffin is pretty… uh…"

"Creepy," Seras agreed. "My master says I have to, to keep my strength up."

"That sucks," Faith frowned, looking at the long brown coffin with an inlay crucifix across the lid. "Your master, tall guy, like stupidly tall? Red coat? Hat? Scares the crap out of people for no reason?"

"You've met him," Seras grinned over, baring fangs that neither Xander or Faith had noticed until now.

"Yeah," Faith nodded. "Felt like I wanted to run anywhere but where he was, but yeah."

"That too," Xander nodded in agreement. "He's your master? Like, he's the one that turned you into a vampire right?"

"Yes," Seras nodded.

"So, uh," Xander frowned, moving to the table and grabbing one of the chairs before pulling it out and sitting on it as comfortably as he could. "What's it like? Working here I mean, not the vampire thing, or, you know, the vampire thing as well?" He grinned. "What? I'm curious." He smiled as Faith rolled her eyes at him. "So you've got the super strength thing, can walk in sunlight, live forever?"

"It's exhausting," Seras admitted after a moment.

"Huh?" Faith frowned, not following what she meant.

"Sunlight," Seras explained. "I only do it because the other men look at me like I'm a freak if I only come out at nighttime."

"But it doesn't hurt right?" Xander asked.

"It drains me," Seras explained. "After a training session outside, I could sleep for an entire day." She said, nodding to the coffin in the room. "I only do it to fit in."

"Screw em," Faith shrugged. "I'm a night girl, we'll do it together."

"Count me in," Xander nodded. "Though, not the huge guns thing." He explained. "Couldn't even lift that thing, let alone shoot it."

"I'm surprised you could," Seras admitted, looking at Faith. "You're not a vampire, right?"

"Vampire Slayer," Faith shrugged. "One girl born yadda yadda yadda," She said, mumbling through it. "Strength, speed, slayer package."

"I've never heard of a vampire slayer before," Seras said thoughtfully.

"Your master had," Faith nodded. "He was all surprised and shit about me working here." She explained. "If you're looking for workout girl, me or B can help you out there."

"That'd be nice," Seras nodded. "There's only me and Sir Integra," She explained. "I don't know if there are even any other women working here."

"Two more now," Xander nodded. "Though, might want to get a couch or something, few beanbags, you know, if you're planning a girl's night in or something." He grinned at the thought.

"Not me," Faith shook her head. "You and B do the girly shit, I'll be out on the town." She grinned. "London ain't far right? Reckon I could find a good night out there."

"We mostly work nights," Seras explained. "And I… I don't think I can do that anymore."

"Giving up partying as well?" Faith shook her head. "Ok, your kind of vamps got it worse." She grinned over.


	3. Chapter 3

TITLE: And Hell Followed With Him

DISCLAIMER: All things BtVS belong Joss Whedon, the Hellsing universe belongs to Kouta Hirano, nothing is mine, only the extremely twisted idea...

* * *

 **December 12, 1998**

 **16:12**

 **Hellsing Estate, London.**

"That's fucked up," Faith grimaced, wincing as Seras told them the tale of how she'd become a vampire, the indecent in Cheshire where she'd been sent to investigate a series of murders when the rest of her squad had been turned into ghouls by the vampire responsible.

"He was going to rape you?" Xander asked in disbelief.

"He said he didn't want a vampire with free will walking around," Seras shook her head, remembering the feeling of the vampire priest groping her as he threatened her, telling her what he was going to do to her. The memory of it made her skin crawl, even just talking about it now made her angry.

"So that's when the other vampire came?" Xander asked.

"My master," Seras nodded. "He… he asked me if I was a virgin."

"Right," Xander nodded, catching Faith's confused face. "These vampires can only turn you into a vamp if you're a virgin." He explained. "Otherwise you get turned into one of those ghoul zombie things." He grimaced, shaking his head at the thought.

"So you said yes?" Faith guessed, not actually sure if it was a good thing she wasn't a virgin or not anymore.

"Hmhmmm," Seras nodded, slightly embarrassed talking about it aloud.

"British vamps are fucked up," Faith laughed. "No offense," She grinned when Seras stared at her.

"None taken," Seras said, still staring and wondering what she meant by that. "So your vampires can just… turn anyone they want into another vampire?"

"Pretty much," Faith nodded. "Sun burns 'em to a crisp though, so you've got that going for you."

"Plus there's the whole, you still being you thing." Xander nodded, that one had definitely been a revelation. "Our vamps, it's just a demon walking around in a body, no soul, nothing." He explained. "You said you got to keep your soul?"

"Uhuh," Seras nodded again. "It's still me."

"Not seeing any downsides to this type of vamp," Xander frowned, looking at Faith.

"Thinking of joining up?" Faith grinned at him. "Gotta be a virgin for that." She laughed at him.

"Yeah," Xander frowned thoughtfully, he was still a virgin, but it wasn't something he was going to admit aloud, especially in front of Faith and Seras.

"Ah, there you are."

Seras turned from the discussion, feeling like she'd been smiling for the first time in years, as she heard Walter's voice from the doorway. She'd brought over her chair from the dressing table so she could sit with Xander and Faith, but was realising that Xander had been right, and if they were going to talk more like this, then she would need to make her room more welcoming for others, for humans.

"Yes Walter?" Seras asked, looking up.

"We have a mission tonight," Walter explained. "A simple house clean, Captain Steadler will be leading the assault. The team will leave at sundown."

"Alright, thank you Walter." Seras nodded.

"You don't like this Steadler guy then?" Faith asked, catching the look Seras gave when she heard his name being mentioned.

"Is there a problem Miss Victoria?" Walter asked, catching what Faith had said and waiting curiously. "Captain Steadler comes with the highest of recommendations from the SAS."

"Nothing Walter," Seras shook her head. "I'll be there."

"I'm game," Faith said, standing up from the table. "Could do with a stretch, get to see how you guys do things as well."

"It's a simple house clean Miss Faith, hardly something to get excited over." Walter explained.

"Sending one of your vamps right?" Faith asked, looking at Seras. "Gotta be something if you're sending the big guns."

"Possibly, but then again, it might just be a precaution." Walter hedged cautiously. "Of course, you're welcome to join them if you want to observe."

"Sweet," Faith nodded.

"I'll have body armour and a side arm brought to your room," Walter said with a nod. "I assume you are at least proficient in pistol use?"

"Better with a sword or stake," Faith shrugged.

"A sword then," Walter nodded. "Going against one of our enemies armed with a sliver of wood would be akin to suicide." He explained. "I'll have the items brought to your room, Miss Victoria can show you the ready area where the rest of the squad will leave from."

"Five by five," Faith nodded.

"Quite," Walter frowned before bowing slightly and leaving the room, closing the door behind him.

* * *

"Yes Alucard?" Sir Integra asked, looking up from her papers and seriously considering giving up on her paperwork for the day.

"A slayer, really?" Alucard grinned as he faded into the room completely, moving through the shadows on the walls like they weren't even there.

"Slayers, plural." Sir Integra corrected him with a smirk. "Two of them in fact."

"And how did you wrestle these two away from The Council?" Alucard asked dryly, his tone saying everything he thought about The Council could have been boiled down to so much excrement and scraped off his boot.

"Didn't you hear?" Sir Integra smiled, looking up from her papers. "The Council was exterminated."

"And I wasn't involved?" Alucard raised an eyebrow as if he was actually sad that he hadn't been involved in wiping out The Council.

"Not that I'm aware of," Sir Integra frowned. "At least one vampire, possibly more, commanding an army of ghouls. They slaughtered their way through the entire building."

"Interesting," Alucard mused thoughtfully. "FREAKS?"

"Possibly," Sir Integra nodded. "We have no leads to be certain."

"Why would a True Vampire attack The Council?" Alucard laughed at the idea. "They're doing well enough cleaning up the trash that calls themselves vampires." He mocked.

"The demonic strain," Sir Integra nodded. "Hardly a threat compared to a True Undead," She said in agreement. "But still, The Council served its purpose well enough, a purpose we'll be taking over from now as well."

"Eliminating trash?" Alucard frowned disdainfully. "Hardly a worthy opponent."

"For you, no," Sir Integra shook her head. "For training exercises and sharpening our men to face the real vampires, they will do."

"Only slightly more dangerous than ghouls," Alucard shook his head. "And they dare to call themselves vampire?"

"They're within our purview now," Sir Integra frowned. "If you see one, eliminate it. Remove their heads with your hands if that's what you want. It makes no difference to me."

"I haven't met a Slayer in years," Alucard smiled wistfully. "They seem to have forgotten all about me." He said with a smirk.

"The Council wasn't well known for treating their Slayers well or keeping them informed." Sir Integra frowned over. "From what I'm told, neither Slayer knew anything about True Vampires before The Council was slaughtered."

"Pathetic," Alucard rolled his eyes at the idea. "Have they fallen so low?"

"They're extinct now." Sir Integra said simply. "The Slayer line now falls to us."

"Fascinating," Alucard mused thoughtfully.

"Do try not to irritate them," Sir Integra said, looking up and catching Alucard's eye. "As much as The Council deserved to be wiped from the face of the earth, the Slayers do a fine job in exterminating the demon breed."

"As you command," Alucard said simply before bowing and fading through the floor like a ghost.

* * *

"Wha…" Buffy stopped in her tracks, gobsmacked at the room that was beyond the doors she'd been told was hers while she was staying at the Hellsing Mansion. It was huge, with a four poster bed on one side of the room, an en-suite bathroom that would have made Cordelia cry with envy, wardrobes that spanned an entire wall and windows that reached up to the celling a dozen feet or so above her head. "Oh my god!" She cried out as she walked in, looking around in amazement. "I'm sooo taking that job." She grinned as she looked around the room, poking her head into the en-suite and going wide eyed at the size of a bath tub that looked big enough for her to swim in.

"Ah, yes, I was coming to see if your room was as equally as… opulent, as my own." Giles said from where he was stood in the door way of her room.

"Are all the rooms like this?" Buffy asked in amazement. "'Cause this is serious heaven here Giles."

"I'd assume so," Giles nodded, watching as Buffy darted about the room, looking over every inch before opening a wardrobe to look inside.

"Hey, they picked up our clothes?" Buffy asked, looking back at Giles from where her clothes had been neatly unpacked and hung up in the wardrobe neatly.

"Mine as well," Giles nodded. "I'd assume Faith's as well, but I haven't been able to find her or Xander yet."

"They'll be fine," Buffy shrugged.

"Perhaps," Giles mused thoughtfully. "We haven't had the best year so far, have we?" He asked, approaching the conversation gently. "Gwendolyn Post, Mr Trick, Angel returning, and Faith?"

"Same story," Buffy shrugged. "We deal."

"Yes," Giles nodded. "But how does everyone else deal with these things?" He frowned. "Xander, as loathe as I am to admit it, brought up some good points earlier."

"He was just angry you called him the doughnut boy," Buffy shrugged. "He'll get over it, after what happened with him and Willow, he should stay out of it for a bit."

"Hardly," Giles frowned at the thought. "What happened with Cordelia wasn't Xander's fault, you know that."

"And what happened with Angel was my fault?" Buffy demanded.

"You lied about him being back for weeks Buffy," Giles admonished. "I thought you would have at least felt something about how you treated your friends through that."

"And Xander tried to get Faith to stake him," Buffy shot back. "Not exactly seeing the friend there." She argued.

"Yes, Faith." Giles frowned. "That failure sits squarely on my shoulders." Giles admitted. "Something I mean to rectify as soon as possible." He frowned, turning away from Buffy. "Perhaps you should do the same with Xander and Faith, before they turn to others at Hellsing over you." He said simply before walking out of the room and leaving Buffy to her thoughts.

* * *

"Hey, Walter, wait up." Xander called as he jogged down the corridor away from Seras' room to catch up to where Walter had paused waiting for him.

"Yes?" Walter asked curiously, wondering what the young man wanted.

"I, uh, wanted to say thanks." Xander offered. "For all this."

"It was Sir Integra's offer, not mine." Walter said simply.

"You offered," Xander said with a smile. "The training, you said I could fight like you?"

"Did I?" Walter asked, remembering making no such comment. "With the right training, anyone can be a vampire hunter," Walter explained. "It takes someone of exceptional will to excel in such a dangerous profession, let alone survive."

"I want to learn." Xander said after a moment's thought, nodding firmly. "I can't shoot the big as… the big guns like they can, but there's other weapons right?"

"Of course," Walter nodded, gesturing for Xander to follow him. "Firearms are but one tool in Hellsing's armoury, an effective one, but far from the only tool we employ." He explained as he led Xander up the stairs to the main level.

"So, uh, what else is there?" Xander asked hopefully. "I mean, guns are good and all, and if they take down vamps I'm all for them. But I'm guessing there's a reason you have other weapons as well right?"

"Indeed," Walter nodded. "Some enemies, the calibre of bullet needed to damage such creatures is too large for a human to wield effectively. While your Slayers might be able to use such weapons, there are other ways to deal with such enemies." He explained, leading Xander through a corridor to another section of the house. "Our development room." He explained, opening the door and moving inside, turning on the lights as he did so.

"Whoa," Xander whispered, looking around at the various weapons that were scattered around the room in various forms, some half-finished, others being taken apart and reworked, and more in just parts ready to become something else.

"Quite," Walter nodded with a small smile. "I pride myself on furnishing our members with the best possible weapons for any occasion." He explained, moving through the room and standing at one of the side desks, waiting for Xander to join him. "My latest creation, the thirteen millimetre Anti-Freak Jackal." He explained, picking up the long black pistol from his desk. "Sixteen inches long, sixteen kilos in weight. It takes thirteen millimetre explosive hollow point rounds, blessed Macedonian silver of course."

"Of course," Xander parroted in amazement, looking at the gun in awe.

"Now, such a weapon is obviously beyond the capabilities of any normal human to use," Walter explained, putting the Jackal back on the desk gently. "But as I said, there are other weapons we use just as effectively."

"So, uh, what's your favourite?" Xander asked, looking around the various weapons that littered the room. "The swords?" He asked, noting five swords that were oddly shaped hanging on one wall.

"No," Walter shook his head, following Xander's gaze. "Those belonged to Paladin Anderson, he used them in an attempt on Miss Victoria's life. Blessed silver bayonets, one of the few weapons that can hurt a True Vampire."

"Ok, bad guy?" Xander guessed.

"A member of the Iscariot organisation," Walter explained. "A rather complicated matter to explain."

"Gotcha," Xander nodded.

"Though, perhaps one of these would be a good weapon for Miss Faith to handle tonight." Walter nodded thoughtfully, moving to retrieve one of the bayonets from the wall. "It would give her an edge if the team do come across any ghouls in the vicinity."

"Sounds good," Xander nodded, accepting the sword, no, bayonet he forced himself to correct and learn the proper names for the weapons, as Walter held it out for him to take.

"But my personal choice?" Walter asked, returning to the question at hand and moving to a side desk away from the others where several spools of oddly glistening strands were stored alongside various other tools. "Micro-filament wire," He explained, holding up one of the spools of the glistening thread. "Sharp enough to cut through steel, more than enough to remove a vampire's head." He explained, returning the spool of thread to its stand.

"Wire?" Xander asked in confusion as he watched Walter retrieve a pair of gloves from a drawer under the desk, inspecting them thoroughly through his monocle before removing his white gloves and replacing them with the newer pair that were thicker and had metallic rings at the base of each finger.

"Micro-filament is one of our most dangerous weapons," Walter explained. "Hard to control, even harder to master." He added, walking through the weapons around the room to a testing area at the far end where a combat dummy with various bullet holes and slashes was stored. "But when used effectively, they can be devastating." He explained, lashing one arm out sharply, letting Xander see the glittering threads float through the air before bringing his wrist down and twisting, watching as the combat dummy was eviscerated into foam and wood within seconds before bringing his wrist back up and flexing his fingers to recall the filament back to its housing.

"Holy…" Xander whispered in shock.

"Quite," Walter nodded, cutting off Xander's comment. "I must stress, weapons like these take years to master, and most who try have more scares than victories with them." He explained. "Though I'm sure with some ingenuity, we can find something more suited to your own use."

"It's like an invisible whip, but eight of them," Xander breathed out, still staring at the gloves Walter was wearing.

"Slightly more advanced, and with more applications, but the similarities are there." Walter nodded, accepting the small concession to compare the micro-filament wires with something the American was more familiar with. "Yes, I suppose a whip would be possible, given time and the appropriate materials."

"It'd be the most dangerous whip in the world," Xander laughed at the idea.

"Quite," Walter nodded in agreement. "It wouldn't be as fast, the nature of the micro-filament prevent the weight necessary for a whip to achieve its crack, but I'm sure we can think of something." He mused, thinking on the idea for a moment. "But that's something we can discuss another time, I have duties to perform and a team to equip for tonight's mission." Walter explained, peeling off the micro-filament gloves and returning them to his desk drawer.

"Oh, yeah, sorry." Xander said apologetically.

"No need," Walter shook his head. "If you could take that to Miss Faith's room, I'll have some body armour set up to her as well." He said, nodding to the bayonet that Xander was still carrying.

"Oh, sure." Xander nodded happily.

"The third floor, rooms twelve and thirteen have been set aside for you and Miss Faith." Walter explained. "I believe your luggage has already been seen to."

"Uh, thanks." Xander nodded, not really knowing what to say as he hadn't even been invited on the plane journey with Buffy and Faith when Giles organised it, he'd smuggled himself inside the luggage compartment with only a backpack of snacks and a few comics with him.

"If you do accept Sir Integra's offer of employment in the Hellsing Organisation, we do have a stricter dress code than The Council obviously did." Walter explained. "First impressions do matter you understand."

"Yeah," Xander nodded, realising that against Walter's cleanly pressed shirt, seamless waistcoat and pants combination, his loose shirt, jeans and t-shirt made him stand out more than anything.

"I'll have some things placed in your room," Walter said, noting the look on Xander's eyes. "It will be up to you if you wear them or not." He explained.

"Thanks," Xander nodded after a moments pause, thinking about the offer again. He was going to get paid to hunt vampires, have access to weapons like Walter's fancy gloves, and have people that would train him properly, not just give him a stake and ignore anything else like Buffy and Giles had done. Compared to the benefits, smartening up his clothes wasn't exactly a hard concession to make.

"Think nothing of it," Walter nodded. "Now, if you'll deliver that to Miss Faith, I do have other things to see to." Walter explained, gesturing for Xander to leave the room alongside him as he walked to the door and turned the light off.

* * *

"Faith?" Giles asked aloud, calling out to her as he saw her moving along the corridor he'd just turned down.

"Hey Giles," Faith shrugged, turning back to him. "What's going on?"

"I had been looking for you, both you and Xander." Giles explained. "I think we should talk about the things that were said earlier."

"No big," Faith shrugged the comment off.

"Regardless," Giles frowned thoughtfully. "Do you know where Xander is?"

"Went to speak with the butler guy," Faith said simply. "Talking tea or whatever else he does around here I guess."

"I'm sure making tea is hardly Walter's only job." Giles rolled his eyes at the thought. "Have you both been wandering around the mansion this whole time?" He asked, glancing at his watch and noting it had now been several hours since he'd last seen them both.

"Went outside to the firing range," Faith shrugged. "Met the vampires working here, no big." She grinned at the face Giles made at that one. "Proper Vamps, not the budget version." She smirked at him. "Girl could snap Angel in half like he was a stick." She grinned at the thought.

"The Hellsing organisation has vampires working here?" Giles asked in horror.

"Two, I think," Faith shrugged. "Talked with the girl a bit, she was pretty cool, for a vamp anyway. Killer body as well, bet the troops are drooling over her every chance they get."

"Faith, a True Vampire is hardly…"

"Yeah yeah, we got the skinny," Faith nodded. "Moves around in sunlight, hell of a lot faster than the SunnyD vamps, stronger too. Apparently her master has even more tricks, scary fucker too."

"You met her master as well?" Giles muttered in shock. "A master vampire in this mansion?"

"Tall, like, stupid tall." Faith nodded. "Crazy laugh, didn't get much more than that, aside from the urge never to be alone with him, like, ever!" She said firmly. "Vamp-Girl's out tonight on a mission with the troops, said I'd tag along, watch how they do things." Faith shrugged. "If I'm taking this job, might as well see what they do right?" She said with a nod.

"Found you!" Xander called from the other end of the hall, bringing Giles' and Faith's attention to him. "Giles." He said curtly before looking at Faith. "Walter said you'd want this?" He said, handing over the bayonet for Faith to take.

"Wicked," Faith grinned as she took the sword and looked at it glinting in the light. "Guys just handing out swords?"

"It's a bayonet," Xander corrected her, beating Giles to the correction. "Blessed silver, so be careful with it around Seras ok?"

"This thing can hurt her?" Faith asked curiously.

"Already did," Xander nodded. "Some paladin guy stabbed her with a few of them from what Walter said."

"Gotcha, thanks." Faith nodded, testing out how the bayonet felt in her hand before laying it on her shoulder gently.

"Walter will send up some body armour as well for tonight, Seras is still meeting you as seven right?" Xander asked.

"That's the plan," Faith said in agreement. "Heading out to do some damage."

"Just try not to hurt that captain guy too much alright?" Xander grinned at her. "He might just be an idiot, but he's working here already so we've got to play nice."

"Yeah yeah," Faith shrugged at what Xander was saying. "If the guys as bigger dick as Seras says, he'll get what's coming to him."

"Faith, I hardly think…" Giles trailed off, shaking his head. "Do try not to antagonise any of the soldiers if you insist on going on this mission tonight. While they may just be normal humans, they have been trained to hunt and kill creatures far stronger than you."

"No big," Faith shook her head. "Catch you then." She said before heading back to her room that she'd found earlier with Seras' help.

"Xander, I think we should…" Giles trailed off as he caught the look Xander gave him. "The reason I indicated to Sir Integra that you were a retainer for The Council was to give them a reason to allow you to work with us. Before Buffy, Slayers never had friends, or a support system that Buffy has with all of you."

"Yeah, I remember Kendra." Xander nodded.

"Exactly," Giles nodded back. "If I had simply said that you were Buffy's friend, with no other reason to be here other than you hid away on the plane against my explicit orders, there would have been no reason for her not to abandon you at the air field." Giles explained.

"Okay, I guess that actually kinda makes sense." Xander admitted bashfully.

"Both you and Willow have been integral to Buffy's continued success as a Slayer, I see that more than anyone." Giles explained. "I admit that I could have taken your training more seriously, but my focus had to be on Buffy, you must understand that."

"And what about Faith?" Xander asked. "Who was in charge of her training and finding her a place to live?"

"Yes, I admit I was rather short-sighted when it came to Faith." Giles nodded, accepting what Xander was saying.

"When we all found out Angel was back, you defended Buffy, you!" Xander shouted. "After everything Angel did."

"And I regret that," Giles admitted. "I did speak to her in private about my concerns, how I felt she had no respect for any of us if she kept that secret from us for so long."

"So why didn't you say that when we were all arguing about it?" Xander raised his voice again. "Even Cordelia saw how much of a threat Angel was, but you just sided with Buffy as always."

"As did Willow, don't forget." Giles frowned at him. "My personal thoughts aside, my job as a Watcher is to train and watch over Buffy, not you or Willow or Angel." He said firmly. "You are not blameless in this either Xander, it wasn't hard to connect the pieces when Buffy told me you came with her to stop Angelus from opening Acathla."

"He had to be stopped." Xander said firmly.

"Kick his ass," Giles raised an eyebrow. "Was that Willow's message? We've all made mistakes Xander, Buffy was just doing her job as a Slayer."

"Yeah, we got that. Like Buffy's job was to slay Angel, oh wait, no she didn't." Xander said before turning around and walking away, leaving Giles stood in the corridor. "Message received loud and clear." He said as a parting shot as he walked away.

"Blast," Giles muttered to himself, watching as Xander disappeared from view and wondering exactly when it had all gone wrong for them this year.

* * *

Sir Integra didn't even bother saying anything this time as the knock on her door interrupted her paperwork yet again, tossing her pen on the table she simply lifted a cigar out of her case and lit it, taking a moment to blow a cloud of smoke out into the room before answering. "Yes?" She called out.

"Ah, I hope I'm not intruding?" Giles asked as he slowly moved through the door and announced himself.

"What do you want?" Sir Integra asked, looking over at him. "I've got reports here of FREAK's involved in snuff films now, and the thought of what they're doing isn't sitting well with me."

"Ah, sorry." Giles frowned. "I can come back?"

"No," Sir Integra shook her head, standing up from the desk and stretching for a moment. "I could do with some time without looking at those pictures and reports." She said, looking down at the video captures Walter had produced for her in his latest briefing. "What can I do for you Mr Giles?"

"I had wanted to speak with you about a troubling matter," Giles admitted. "There were always rumours about the Hellsing special operative, not that many people put much stock in rumour."

"And now you want to know the truth?" Sir Integra guessed, raising an eyebrow before breathing in deeply from her cigar.

"I confess; I think I already do." Giles said softly. "A vampire?"

"Alucard," Sir Integra nodded. "The Hellsing family's greatest achievement."

"I see," Giles frowned.

"No, you don't." Sir Integra shook her head. "The vampire Alucard is no mere vampire," She explained, moving to lean against her desk as she enjoyed her cigar. "A hundred years of the Hellsing family's occult knowledge produced this achievement."

"I'll admit my knowledge on this form of vampire is limited," Giles explained. "The Council preferred to focus on the demonic breed, warning us to stay away from these types of vampire."

"For good reason." Sir Integra said with a nod. "Yes, we have two vampires working for Hellsing." She said, getting back to the original question. "Is that a problem for your Slayers?"

"I…" Giles frowned, thinking about it. "I don't think it should be." He admitted. "The True Vampires are very different from anything Buffy or Faith have encountered before. Though I would have liked to have been told of this before, out of curtesy."

"Will you give me the same curtesy then?" Sir Integra raised her eyebrow. "And tell me The Council's secrets?" She paused for a moment in silence, blowing out a cloud of smoke as Giles simply stared at her. "I thought as much."

"Our organizations were too different," Giles admitted with a nod. "Perhaps, in time, we can trust each other?"

"Perhaps." Sir Integra nodded.

"These FREAKs for instance?" Giles asked, hoping for at least some gesture from her.

"Artificial vampires," Sir Integra sneered at the idea, grinding out her cigar in the ash tray on her desk before turning back to Giles. "Engineered with electronic chips, even capable of turning a deflowered human into a monster."

"Oh," Giles said, not knowing what else to say at that point.

"Our scientists are working on identifying the exact procedure used," Sir Integra frowned, looking back at the reports on her desk. "But these FREAK chips are extremely advanced, it could take us years to unravel their origins."

"Perhaps I can help?" Giles asked, offering something in return. "While The Council itself has been killed, we do still have operatives around the world at our disposal. Field Watchers, custodians, operatives within certain organisations and museums around the world that keep a watch for various occult artefacts that shouldn't be in the public eye."

"Hmm?" Sir Integra raised her eye at that.

"I was planning to return to the Council Manor at some point, I could ask our men to watch for any of these FREAK chips around their areas, perhaps something will turn up?" Giles mused thoughtfully. "I can imagine that mass producing an electronic device capable of those effects must have quite a large organisation behind it."

"That was my thought too." Sir Integra nodded. "A worrying thought indeed."

"Quite," Giles nodded back. "I'll have the orders issued, if anything turns up, I'll have the information brought to you immediately."

For a moment, Sir Integra didn't know what to say, she simply looked at Giles before nodding slowly. "Thank you." She said, accepting the offer of help for what it was.

"Well, we are working together now, aren't we?" Giles smiled wryly at her.

"Yes," Sir Integra nodded, moving around her desk and pulling open the bottom draw, pulling out her spare sidearm and holster from where she'd always kept it before throwing it towards Giles for him to catch in the air. "Wear it." She said simply. "All our operatives are constantly armed, I expect you to be no exception." She said, moving to sit back at her chair.

Giles paused, looking at the belt holster Sir Integra had given him, sliding out the sidearm easily he noted the SIG Saur pistol wasn't standard issue and marked with the Hellsing Arms stamp indicating it had been modified by Hellsing for their own use.

"Nine millimetre hollow point rounds, blessed silver." Sir Integra explained. "Walter will see to any further ammunition needs you have." She said simply. "I assume you can use a gun?"

"Yes," Giles nodded quickly, sliding the pistol back into its holster. "Thank you." He said, accepting the gift for what it was.

"You'll be expected to use it, in the field, or in defence of Queen and Country," Sir Integra said, looking over at him. "Speak to one of our marksmen experts if you need to brush up on using it."

"I think I'll do that," Giles nodded. "Ah, Faith said…"

"Yes, Walter told me." Sir Integra said. "It's a simple mission, a ghoul infestation, he's already armed her accordingly."

"Yes, I saw the bayonet." Giles nodded. "You're sending one of the vampires along with the team?" He asked curiously.

"They need to get used to working with her." Sir Integra said simply. "They underestimate her, think she's one of them, when she could do the entire job for them in a quarter of the time."

"You want them to use her like a vampire?" Giles asked curiously.

"I want them to use the asset that she is." Sir Integra frowned. "Would you trust men that held your Slayer at the back and didn't use her to her full efficacy?"

"No," Giles admitted easily.

"There you have it." Sir Integra nodded. "Your Slayer will be fine, she'll need to face ghouls some time, and this controlled situation is the best we're going to get."

Giles nodded at that, accepting that at least in this situation, Faith would be covered by highly trained men who would be working alongside her. "Well, thank you again." Giles nodded, smiling at the in his hand. "I'll leave you to get back to your… well." He smiled as Sir Integra scowled at the paperwork on her desk.

* * *

It was just before nightfall as Faith walked alongside Seras and Walter out to the staging area where a group of armed men in Hellsing uniform alongside an APC were already waiting.

"Wow, you guys do this seriously," Faith whispered, noting the heavy body armour that the men were wearing along with helmets and pistols on their belts alongside the large automatic rifles they were carrying.

"Yes," Walter said simply. "I would have brought you the same armour, but I believed the lighter armour would offer enough protection, without limiting your movement like the heavy armour would have done."

"Sure," Faith nodded. She'd accepted the combat pants and shirt, wearing it loosely over a black t-shirt underneath. The Hellsing badge was displayed prominently on the left arm, while the sword Xander had given her was being carried over her shoulder casually.

"Obviously we can have a uniform tailored for your needs later on if you need," Walter nodded as they approached the APC. "But that is a discussion for later on, along with more personal weapons choices." He explained. "Ah, Captain Fargason." Walter smiled as he noted the Scottish man waiting for them.

"Aye," Captain Fargason nodded appraisingly, looking over Faith curiously. "Can't say I approve of the light armour lass, but it's better than nothing." He said before eying the bayonet she was carrying loosely over her shoulder. "Andersons?" He asked, looking at Walter.

"Yes, for now." Walter nodded. "Until the girls qualify on the range, I felt it best to allow them to play to their own strengths."

"Swords against ghouls," Captain Fargason frowned. "Sounds like a good way to get killed to me."

"I ain't you," Faith shrugged.

"Quite," Walter nodded in agreement. "A Slayer, while no match for a true vampire, is more than cable of handling several ghouls in close combat Captain. I suggest you don't underestimate Miss Faith."

"Aye, we'll see what you can do." Captain Fargason nodded before turning from them and looking at the main group. "Attention men, load 'em up. Wheels up in two minutes!" He shouted before walking away to the front of the APC and climbing into the passenger side door.

"Let's go." Seras smiled over at Faith, carrying her smaller thirteen millimetre rifle this time instead of the larger Harkonnen canon, along with a box of ammunition.

Faith nodded, waiting for the armed men to pile into the APC before Seras moved into the queue behind them waiting for Faith to follow her.

"You there,"

Seras and Faith stopped as the Hellsing Officer that was stood by the side checking everyone as they got into the APC called Seras to a stop.

"Sir?" Seras asked respectfully. "What is it?"

"I don't think you belong in a human field unit," The officer said, reaching out and holding Seras' chin, lifting it slightly so she was looking him in the eyes. "Even though you're a monster, do you ever feel the need for a man in your bed?" He asked with a smirk, staring at Seras eyes as they flashed red with anger.

"Keep that up, you ain't gonna be a man worth it." Faith said from the side, her blessed bayonet now pointed directly between the officer's legs with the sharp edge ready to flick up at a moment's notice.

"And who the hell are you?" The officer growled, looking over at Faith and letting go of Seras' chin.

"The girl that'll take those away from you if you keep it up," Faith said simply, bringing the bayonet up slightly so he could feel the blade pressing against the fabric of his uniform between his legs.

The officer didn't say anything for a moment before he actually laughed at her, looking over before turning and walking away from her. "At least the human's got more balls than the vampire." He laughed as he walked to the side of the APC. "Get in ladies, we're burning night." He said before slapping the side of the APC to indicate they were ready and climbing in behind Faith himself and claiming the last seat.

* * *

"Hmm?" Walter looked up from his computer, eying the person walking slowly into the room. "Well, it's a start at least." He said wryly, noting the tie and waistcoat were still missing from Alexander's ensemble, though he'd at least worn one of the pressed shirts and trousers that he'd had delivered to his room.

"Bit tight," Xander admitted, stretching in the grey shirt as he walked through the large library area to where Walter was sat.

"My apologies, I didn't have your measurements." He said with a small smile. "A good first step though if you want to consider Sir Integra's offer seriously."

"Yeah," Xander nodded as he came to the desk where Walter was sat. "I do."

"Excellent," Walter nodded, pointing to the computer screen. "Shall we begin then?" He asked, waiting for Xander to come around the desk to join him before clicking play on the video. "What we have here is a snuff film." He explained. "It was forwarded to us by one of our operatives who keeps an eye out for anything unusual that would pique our interest."

"Snuff film?" Xander asked, a bit disturbed by the idea. "Those aren't just an urban legend or something?" He asked, watching the video play as the man on screen was mercilessly shot. Thankfully the footage was grainy, and black and white, but the dark blood that was seeping out onto the floor in the video was certainly not faked.

"I'm afraid not," Walter shook his head. "But this is what brought it to our attention." He explained, pausing the video a few seconds on and hovering the mouse curser over a small area. "Tell me, what do you see?" He asked, gesturing for Xander to examine the video more closely as a masked man turned on the camera.

"Wait, isn't that…" Xander frowned, recognising the patch the man was wearing on his jacket as the same one Seras had been wearing on her uniform earlier on.

"The Hellsing coat of arms," Walter nodded, happy that Xander had indeed identified it correctly.

"How, I mean is this…" Xander trailed off as Sir Integra came in, closing the door to the library behind her as she looked over at the both of them.

"You wanted to see me Walter?" She asked, slowly walking through the library towards them. "Are you showing Alexander the ropes?" She asked wryly. "At least you've improved his dress sense." She smirked as she arrived at the desk.

"A work in progress," Walter admitted with a small smile. "However, managing to civilize an American is not why I asked to see you."

"As impressive as that feat may be," Sir Integra smiled, nodding at Xander to let him know she was only joking, well, half joking anyway. "What is it?" She asked, prompting him to get on with it.

"A snuff film," Walter explained. "We've been having trouble with them lately, as you know. But this one needed special attention."

"Oh?" Sir Integra asked, bringing out a cigar from her case and lighting it in a smooth motion. "Why?"

"Well, disturbingly, Alexander managed to correctly identify the Hellsing Coat of Arms appearing in the video." Walter explained.

"What?!" Sir Integra bellowed, the cigar falling from her lips onto the marble floor.

"Quite," Walter nodded, placing a hand on Xander's shoulder to steady him as he felt the young boy start to back up from Sir Integra's shout before moving around the desk and retrieving Sir Integra's fallen cigar and crushing it out in an ashtray he seemingly produced from nowhere.

"How many people have seen this?" Sir Integra asked, her calm voice returning after her outburst.

"There's no way to really tell," Walter admitted. "The film has already been online for over twenty-four hours."

"A day's a long time on the internet, right?" Xander offered, asking Walter.

"Quite," Walter nodded. "By now, it's managed to spread the way things on the internet usually do."

"Who's responsible?" Sir Integra asked, looking over at Walter and ignoring Xander for the moment.

"A TV station and some tabloid papers have already tried to publish this," Walter explained. "I'll have media management kill the story and all related information." He said quickly, anticipating Sir Integra's next order already.

"Make sure you do," Sir Integra nodded, turning to leave the library. "Hellsing's existence must never become known to the innocent masses." She said as she walked back through the library to leave.

"Whoa," Xander breathed out as Sir Integra left the library, leaving him alone with Walter. "She gets a bit intense?"

"From time to time," Walter admitted with a nod. "Sir Integra's anger was directed at the situation though, not at either of us." He explained.

"Still scary though," Xander smiled over, accepting the reassurance from someone who knew Sir Integra far better than the day he'd known her. "You know, for someone only a few years older than me."

"Yes," Walter nodded. "Sir Integra has had to grow up in rather a unique situation, as such, she never had the childhood that you, or the two Slayers, enjoyed." Walter explained. "The experience tempered her into quite the extraordinary woman you see today." He said with a smile. "Now, shall we see about killing that story?" He said with a smile, bringing over the phone from the desk and dialling through to the Media Management people under Hellsing's employ.

* * *

 **Camden Town**

 **Adelaide Road**

 **19:47**

"Alright men, you're going in!" Captain Fargason ordered, watching as the eight men from the command unit let by Steadler marched out of the APC and stood at attention in front of him, with Seras and Faith coming out first and standing to the side. "You have fifteen minutes, follow Steadler." He said firmly, turning to nod at Steadler before stepping aside.

Captain Steadler saluted Captain Fargason respectfully first before turning to the assembled troops that were stood on the deserted road, it had already been cordoned off at either side and evacuated for their team to do what needed to be done. "Don't disappoint me, in and out in ten minutes." He said firmly, watching as the men chambered the rifles and turned to the building that had been targeted for their infiltration.

"Victoria!" Captain Steadler called her, pulling her away from where she was following the troops towards the building. "Planning to hide at the back were you?" He asked with a smirk.

"No sir," Seras shook her head.

"Then let's have that door down." Captain Steadler ordered, holding his hand out for her large thirteen millimetre rifle and handing her a grenade launcher to use. "You, cover the vampire." He said, looking at Faith who was still carrying her silver bayonet.

"Whatever," Faith shrugged, watching as Seras nodded before leading her into the building, moving through the main door and past the soldiers waiting for her towards the stairs and up to the level they had been told about.

"Guy's a dick," Faith muttered as she followed Seras, acutely aware of the eight other soldiers following behind her.

"Not now," Seras shook her head, in business mode now as they arrived at the second floor of the building, indicating to the soldiers following behind Faith to stand by the side while she took the lead. "I'll go in first." She said, nodding over to the troops who nodded back in confirmation.

"Right behind you," Faith said, following her with her bayonet at the ready, though feeling slightly under armed considering the large grenade launcher Seras was carrying and the assault rifles that the rest of the troops had.

The door practically splintered under her kick as she landed her boot squarely on the centre, moving quickly around and training her weapon into the room for any threat before walking inside when she'd cleared the room, noting only the uniformed man on the floor that was bleeding out from a vicious bite on her neck.

"Damn," Faith winced, following Seras into the room and looking at the twitching corpse on the floor.

"It's a mercy," Seras said coldly, leaning the grenade launcher on her shoulder and bringing out her sidearm, already loaded with blessed silver bullets, before shooting the corpse in the forehead. "They become ghouls otherwise." She explained, seeing the look on Faith's face.

"Right," Faith nodded, a bit shocked at the cold expression Seras had on her face as she'd put a bullet into the corpse.

"Follow me," Seras said, indicating for Faith to follow her out of the room where the rest of the troops were waiting. "Sweep on." She said, turning back into the corridor and moving to the next room.

The next two rooms were completely clear, but the groaning and shuffling noises coming from the last room told her they were close to their target. "On me," Seras ordered, stepping far back from the door and bracing herself, making sure the area was clear before firing at the door and obliterating it completely.

The smoke and debris took a few seconds to clear from the air, but the groaning sound that echoed through the corridor came barely seconds before the first few ghouls started moving through the smoke and dust.

"Ghouls!" Seras glared, wishing Captain Steadler hadn't replaced her rifle with the grenade launcher now, this sort of weapon was no good for close combat.

The rest of her thoughts were silenced immediately as Faith sprang into action, jumping ahead and swiping clean through three of the ghouls in one attack, sending their heads rolling to the floor as she landed herself.

"Down!" Seras ordered, watching in surprise as Faith immediately rolled away from the three decapitated corpses that fell to the ground with more following behind them. "Fire!" She ordered, stepping away from the men behind her that opened fire with their rifles, cutting the ghouls to shreds with their blessed ammunition.

* * *

 **Hellsing Mansion**

"Yes," Sir Integra nodded, standing in the corridor with Giles where she'd found him. "The Roundtable meeting will be held on Sunday, not Monday as I'd hoped." She explained. "It seems Cornelius had an objection to Monday for some reason."

"I'm not familiar with Cornelius," Giles admitted, shaking his head.

"No matter," Sir Integra shook her head, it didn't really matter anyway, the Minister was an imbecile as far as she was concerned, too entrenched in his own society to care about the larger affairs of Queen and Country. "I've already had Walter begin preparations." She explained. "We can discuss…"

"Sir Integra!"

Both Sir Integra and Giles looked down the corridor above the stairwell in surprise at Walter's urgent shout, it was most unlike him to shout for her attention when he could have just come up the stairs and politely announced himself.

"There's something you need to see." Walter continued as Sir Integra and Giles looked on. "Urgently, you too Mr Giles." He explained, waiting for them both to start heading for the stairs before he moved to wait for them at the bottom.

"What is it?" Sir Integra asked as she came to the bottom of the stairwell with Giles following her.

"Please," Walter gestured for them to move through into the offices to the side where Xander was waiting for them. "Alexander notified me as soon as he saw it." He explained.

"It's on a live feed I think," Xander explained, turning the small TV on the desk around to face where Walter, Sir Integra and Giles were coming in to the office. It was grainy and in green hues, but was unmistakably night vision camera footage of the very mission Faith and Seras were currently on. The footage was currently showing Hellsing troops opening fire on ghouls, being broadcast live on television for all to see.

"We can't let ourselves be revealed on national television!" Sir Integra shouted. "This is a nightmare!"

"I've contacted Captain Fargason and ordered our men to pull back for the moment," Walter explained their current situation. "Our men in the media are trying to get through to the station now."

"Bring the car, I'll see to this in person!" Sir Integra ordered. "I want that footage off the air now!"

"I'll drive," Giles nodded. "Walter and Alexander are needed to keep an eye on things from here I'd believe?" He asked, looking at Sir Integra who simply nodded in response.

"Fine," Sir Integra ground out. "Let's go."


End file.
